Thaci

After PM Albin Kurti's swift fall from power, President Thaci wants a new government formed. But is the constitution on his side?

In this endeavour, Thaci is believed to have secured support US President Donald Trump's envoy for Serbia-Kosovo peace negotiations, Richard Grenell. A man of many titles - he is also the acting Director of National Intelligence and the US ambassador to Germany - Grenell has denied that the partition of Kosovo has been discussed in secret as part of the rumoured peace deal.

All that remained for citizens to make their voices heard was to express their displeasure at the political tragedy by banging pots and pans from their balconies in the evening during the partial lockdown.

Good intentions, bad performance:

Ramush Haradinaj in Pristina, Kosovo, 2019. Photo: EPA-EFE/VALDRIN XHEMAJ

The latter option would mirror previous practice established after successful no-confidence votes in 2010, 2014 and 2017. However, one obstacle to this is the coronavirus pandemic.

The Impossible

The coronavirus seems to be doing the impossible - making Balkan politicians put petty squabbles on hold and act like statesmen, prioritising the public interest - particularly public health - in an effort to stem the pandemic. In most cases, at least.

Thaci's statement on Twitter was written an hour after Ramush Haradinaj spoke out against the current form of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia in which Thaci is leading the process.

Everyone, from Brussels to Washington, has enabled these two strongmen to continue holding their citizens in deadlock while simultaneously providing them with a chance to draft agreements in secret, without making much fuss at home, until everything is agreed and their patrons bless their heroic efforts.

It is not yet clear in what format they met, but earlier it was announced that the President of Serbia would be hosted by the U.S. National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien.
The two presidents are in the United States on separate visits.

"Kurti decided the day before my trip to Washington to suspend tariffs on Serbian goods", Vucic commented, perceiving such a move as an attempted hoax.
"Have you thought of that on your own or someone helped you?", he asked Kurti, adding that the special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is right and that this is just a game.

The European External Action Service (EEAS) claims that they consider this announcement as the first step and are looking forward to seeing more details.
"This step could have a positive effect on restoring regional trade and offer an opening for the resumption of the Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina facilitated by the European Union", it is said in EEAS statement.