Editor’s note
In different forms the highest authorities of Albania have congratulated the newly elected President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, pick up of the Vetevendosje Movement headed by PM Albin Kurti.
Mentioning Vjosa Osmani by name President Ilir Meta conveys the message of cooperation while PM Edi Rama did not mention the new President at all ignoring her name completely.
“Sincere congratulations to Vjosa Osmani on the occasion of her election to the very important post of President of the Republic of Kosovo,” said Meta in his FB note late on Saturday evening right after the end of the election process in Kosovo Parliament.
“As President of the Republic of Albania, I express my full readiness for close cooperation for the further deepening of political, economic and cultural relations, in the interest of our citizens and the acceleration of the integration processes in the European Union, of Albania and Kosovo,” writes Meta on Facebook.
He expresses the conviction that President Osmani, in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo, will serve with high commitment and responsibility for the unity among all citizens, the spirit of consensus, dialogue, strengthening inter-institutional cooperation and excellent fraternal relations between the our two countries.
Differently from Meta the PM Rama released his message on Monday morning on the election of Osmani as President, not preferring to congratulate her personally, but says that this election concludes the institutional framework of Kosovo and guarantees the stability to implement the governing program.
Rama also did not mention the name of Vjosa Osmani in any words.
“The election of the new President of Kosovo yesterday by the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, concludes the institutional framework of the country and guarantees the necessary stability to focus on the work for the implementation of the governing program! May it be a good and successful work for the people!” reads the full post of Rama.
In the meantime, the leader of the Democratic Party, Lulzim Basha, congratulated the new President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, in his message noting that her election will enable the unification of the political factor of Kosovo and properly address the challenges that the country has ahead.
“The most heartfelt congratulations to Vjosa Osmani for her election President of the Republic of Kosovo. I am convinced that President Osmani will enable the unification of the political factor of Kosovo to address correctly the challenges facing the country, guaranteeing sovereignty and territorial integrity, membership of Kosovo in international institutions, reaching an agreement on mutual recognition with Serbia and progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration,” said Basha, who eyes to become government head after the April 25 general elections in Albania.
With 71 votes, Osmani was elected on the third ballot by the 120-member legislative on Sunday evening as 82 deputies participated in the voting, but 11 ballots were disqualified. Osmani’s opponent, Nasuf Bejta, did not secure any votes.
The election came one day after the parliament failed to elect her because it was unable to muster the 80 votes required to form a quorum. In two rounds of voting on April 3, 78 and 79 deputies participated.
Osmani was elected with the support of Vetevendosje and non-Serb minorities, while her previous party, the Democratic League of Kosovo attended the session and enabled the quorum but didn’t support her.
Reading behind lines of PM Edi Rama it is apparent that he dislikes the governance of Albin Kurti a critical voice among Kosovo’s
political elite of Rama’s engagement in the scheme of land swap between Kosovo and Serbia whose President Aleksandar Vucic dreamed of.
President Meta did not mention the Pristina- Belgrade dialogue but has been against the territorial changes. In the meantime DP head Basha among others wished that Osmani will make possible
“reaching an agreement on mutual recognition with Serbia and progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration.”
The event in Pristina is an added indication of the great division of the political forces both in Kosovo and Albania not only regarding Osmani’s election but also how the view the relationship between Albania and Kosovo. /argumentum.al
