Kosovo Opposition Accuses PM of Misusing Office

Kosovo's opposition Vetevendosje Movement has filed a complaint at the Election Appeals and Complaints Panel, EACP, accusing Thaci of misusing “public funds” in campaigning for the general elections.

General elections will be held on June 8, while the campaign will last from May 28 to June 6.

The complaint is related to a speech transmitted last Thursday by several local televisions, the public broadcaster RTK included, in which Thaci urged citizens to “aim for the establishment of a modern and developed Kosovo.

“My new mission is to continue changes in Kosovo by strengthening a developed economy, by creating new jobs and increasing social welfare," he said.

"Our country needs a new mission with an energetic leadership, which has a vision,” he added.

Vetevendosje insisted that the message was little more than “the platform of his own Democratic Party of Kosovo, for which a new webpage has been launched.

“The fact the video was recorded in the building of the Kosovo government is a violation of the code of conduct for political parties,” the party added.

The opposition Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, also accused Thaci of violating the rules.

“The head of the PDK is campaigning for the elections in violation with the constitution and ethics. He has used public money to pay for the transmission of his weak lecture, full of fraudulent promises,” the LDK said on Thursday.

Thaci’s office denied the accusations.

“Prime Minister Thaci, who is head of the PDK at the same time, has presented his view on the importance of June elections and of the new mission Kosovo will face. His message did not violate any electoral rules,” Petrit Selimi, deputy foreign minister and social...