Kosovo PM Faces Criticism 100 Days Into Mandate

As Kosovo's parliament debated the Mustafa government's four-year plan on Thursday and Friday, opposition MPs criticised the Prime Minister for putting together an "unclear and complicated" programme which had achieved little so far.

"The government programme has set no clear priorities. The government programme looks more like an electoral programme than an instrument for policymaking," said MP Faton Topalli from the opposition Vetevendosje (Self-Determination Movement).

Criticism was also directed at Mustafa for not clearly explaining how exactly the Association of Serb Municipalities, which is to be formed this year as part of the Brussels agreement to normalise relations with Belgrade, will be set up.

Opposition MPs also claimed that the priorities of the economic model presented in the government plan were wrong.

"Instead of investing in the specialisation of talent, such as in the field of internet technology, the Prime Minister chooses to finance supplying the municipalities with computers and other technology. This is not the way to improve this sector," said another Vetevendosje MP, Fisnik Ismaili.

Mustafa listed what he said were the many achievements of his administration so far, such as the signing of an agreement on the formation of the judiciary in northern Kosovo.

He responded to the criticism by saying that his fledgling government had faced a "crisis period" immediately after it took office and insisted that there had been unrealistic expectations that "things would change from day one".

"We have to emphasise that we began our mandate in a difficult conditions, characterised by strikes, protests and the migration crisis," said Mustafa.

In January of 2015, the country saw some of the biggest protests...

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