Meeting of former opposition leaders at the U.S. Embassy – is there pressure for a governing coalition?

RKS NEWS
RKS NEWS 3 Min Read
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The three former opposition parties, PDK, LDK, and AAK, appeared reserved about commenting on the content of the joint meeting of Memli Krasniqi, Lumir Abdixhiku, and Ramush Haradinaj at the U.S. Embassy in Pristina, following Washington’s decision to suspend the strategic dialogue with Kosovo. Party officials confirmed regular contacts with U.S. diplomats, including the chargé d’affaires in Kosovo, Annu Prattipati, but stressed that no momentum has yet been reached for pushing a joint governing coalition if Vetëvendosje fails to form a new majority.

On September 12, the U.S. announced the suspension of the strategic dialogue with Kosovo, citing concerns over actions by Albin Kurti’s caretaker government. That same day, Ambassador Prattipati hosted the three opposition leaders at the Embassy. Despite this, the Embassy told KosovaPress that the U.S. “remains a close friend of the people of Kosovo.”

PDK’s Secretary General, Vlora Çitaku, accused Kurti of damaging relations with Washington and emphasized that he lacks the numbers to form a new government after the February 9 elections. She said it is still too early to talk about a possible alternative coalition but insisted that opposition unity is necessary to “pull Kosovo out of the swamp Kurti has dragged it into.”

LDK MP Krenar Xhaferi echoed this, saying the U.S. clearly wants a new strategic partner in Kosovo. He described the situation as “concerning” and argued that Kurti’s actions are harming the alliance with Washington.

Meanwhile, AAK MP Lahi Brahimaj stated that his party is ready for a joint government with PDK and LDK without conditions, stressing that their only aim is to remove Kurti from power, whom he called “anti-Kosovo and anti-American.” According to Brahimaj, U.S. and EU allies want to hear directly from the opposition parties whether they align with Kurti’s positions.

Kosovo has now gone eight months without new institutions. The Constitutional Court has frozen the constitutive process of the new Assembly until September 30, after a complaint by Lista Srpska blocked the election of the Serbian community’s deputy speaker.

Vetëvendosje emerged first with 42% in the February 9 elections but has struggled to secure a governing majority. Kurti has remained silent since the U.S. decision, while his spokesperson, Përparim Kryeziu, defended the caretaker government’s actions as fully in line with the Constitution and reaffirmed Kosovo as a “serious partner of the United States for stability, security, and peace in the region.”

The U.S. strategic dialogue is a process Washington conducts with various countries to strengthen bilateral cooperation across defense, security, economy, environment, and energy.