CONSTITUTION OF THE PARLIAMENT: STEP TOWARDS PEACE OR WAR?

AIM Pristina, 16 July, 1998

One would say quite unexpectedly, in the premises of the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo (DSK), the assembly of Kosovo Albanians was constituted in the presence of 75 deputies of four political parties which had won seats in parallel parliamentary elections held on 22 March this year. President of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo Albanians and known linguist, Idriz Aleti, was elected chairman, and his deputies will be Xherxh Dedai of the Liberal Party, Iliaz Kurteshi of the Social Democratic Party led by Kaqusha Jashari, and Zef Morina, deputy of Christian Democratic Party from Djakovica. Fatmir Seidiu from the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo was elected secretary by acclamation. Leader of Kosovo Albanians Ibrahim Rugova took an oath of allegiance, as it was said, in the capacity of the president of the republic of Kosovo, and pledged that he would work in favour of "winning and preservation of independence of Kosovo and its territorial integrity, recognition of human and civil rights and freedoms, respect and protection of the constitution and laws, preservation of peace and welfare of all citizens of Kosovo and that he would responsibly and conscientiously carry out all tasks". After that the newly-elected chairman Idriz Aleti and his deputies also took oath of similar content.

Just a few minutes after the end of the constitutional session, while the delegates were dispersing, about 15 members of the ministry of internal affairs arrived. A few of them entered the building and confiscated the material and documentation they found, and then peacefully departed. The Ministry of Internal Affairs then issued a statement for the public which says that "the illegal attempt to constitute the assembly of the republic of Kosovo was prevented", because the illegal gathering in the premises of the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo, it is underlined, was interrupted at its very beginning, that prepared material and other documentation were confiscated, and that along with criminal charges it was submitted to the district public prosecutor in Pristina "in order to take measures against persons reponsible".

In parallel parliamentary elections of Kosovo Albanians, 118 candidates won votes, 87 of whom were from the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo, and 12 seats have remained empty because the elections had not been held in three municipalities of the central region of Kosovo (Drenica), due to tragic events there in the month of March. Another 14 seats intended for representatives of the Serb and the Montenegrin population also remained empty, because they had boycotted the elections of 22 March.

After completion of the session which had lasted slightly less than half an hour, the newly-elected deputy chairman Xherxh Dedai declared that soon "government will also be elected, which should work in Kosovo and which should be engaged in independence", and stressed that "constitution of the parliament meant laying foundations of the independent and democratic state of Kosovo". Iliaz Kurteshi, former high official of the province, stated the stand that this parliament was constituted by the will of the people and that this was the first phase of institutionalization of the administration of Kosovo, expressing conviction that it would open new ways towards better organization of work on new and delicate affairs in the future.

The first reactions to the news on constituting of the parliament arrived from representatives of opposition parties which boycotted the elections of 22 March. Luleta Pula Beqiri, from a faction of the Social Democratic Party of Kosovo declared that such a "parliament does not enable creation of a united political front, that is, accomplishment of integration of the political and military forces in Kosovo as a condition for returning the process back to the political track". She presented the stand that parties which had not participated in the elections would not accept the offer to be given a role "in some coalition government, which is risky because it may lead to shifting responsibility on the Albanians for the delay of Serb-Albanian negotiations". Jonuz Salihai from Demaqi's Parliamentary Party claims that a parliament in which half of political and non-political forces in Kosovo do not participate cannot decide about Kosovo any more, but that the force called the Liberation Army of Kosovo (OVK) is the force which decides. "This parliament was constituted in order to practically give legitimacy to the agreement between Yeltsin and Milosevic, so we believe that it will be very dubious and that it will not play the role it deserves", underlined Salihai.

Presidents of three opposition parties in Kosovo, the Parliamentary - Demaqi, the Social Democratic - Luleta Pula Beqiri, and Rexhep Qosja of the newly-formed Albanian Democratic Movement, at the first and the last meeting of all parliamentary and non-parliamentary parties held ten days ago, advocated the stand that a national council should be established which would offer its services to the OVK as its political faction in possible negotiations with Belgrade. On the other hand, Ibrahim Rugova and those close to him were in favour of full institutionalization of Kosovo, that is, of constitution of the parliament and election of a new government which would also be the institutional framework of activities of the OVK. No compromise was reached even after the diplomatic mission of US ambassador in the UN Richard Holbrooke, who spent one whole day between the premises of the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo where he was talking to Rugova, and the American Cultural Center where he was trying to persuade Rugova's opponents that disunion in the Albanian political movement, or disunited action due to refusing to agree on creation of a single political body delayed and hindered a peaceful way to solving the problem of Kosovo. Adem Demaqi did not appear at these talks, but he was replaced by his vice-president Bairam Kosumi. Observers of Kosovo political and other developments already at the time tended to assess that leaders were "struggling for acquiring firm positions on the political scene of Kosovo, and that they hardly think about their compatriots who are experiencing a real nightmare on almost half of the territory of Kosovo". Indeed, that is the key issue. The question which arises among the oppositionists is why would they support constitution of the parliament when they boycotted the elections and would not be represented in it anyway. Rugova and his supporters do not see why should they participate in some national council in which his role would be utterly minimized. Mrs. Pula states the stand that in "war conditions, a national council replaces the parliament and representatives of all political parties would participate in it, as well as a political representative of the OVK. As a reflection of respect of the previously established institutions, we have proposed that the institution of the president of the republic be preserved. As the most responsible joint body, the national council would make decisions by consensus", Mrs. Pula explained operation of such a body in case an agreement of all protagonists was achieved. That is why she and those who share her opinion think that constitution of the parliament may just "give legitimacy to the split and disunion within the Albanian movement".

The assembly of Kosovo was suspended on 2 July, 1990, after its deputies had refused to agree with the change of the status of Kosovo and with abolishment of its former autonomy. Soon after that, the discontented deputies of Albanian ethnic origin, in front of the assembly building, passed their constitutional declaration which preceded the session of the so-called Kacanik assembly where the constitution was adopted, as it was stated, of the republic of Kosovo. After that, a large majority of participants at this assembly session found refuge abroad where Bukoshi's government still operates. On 24 May 1992, Kosovo Albanians held their first parliamentary and presidential elections which made Ibrahim Rugova the unquestioned leader. After a single attempt to constitute the parliament prevented by Serbian police, there have been no further such attempts. However, the question of constitution of the parliament has arisen every now and then during all these years, especially among political circles which tried to accuse Rugova of having monopolized political decision-making, as well as of extreme passivity and inefficiency of his peace policy.

In the current turmoil on the political scene of Kosovo in the background of which is the shadow of the OVK, that is, the radically opposite option of resolving the problem of Kosovo from that of Rugova, and in the situation in which misunderstandings and mutual challenging among Albanian political leaders are increasing, constituting of the parliament may be a catalyst in further developments on the political and war scene of Kosovo. It is difficult to estimate whether the government which will result from this parliament in such a political environment will be capable of establishing control over the OVK and the developments in the field, and whether it will ultimately be capable of imposing the political option which would work in favour of a peaceful and compromising solution. Analysts of the political scene of Kosovo believe that this would be more certain if the support of the international community, primarily the USA would also go in this direction. If not, the only thing that will be certain is further escalation of the tragic conflicts.

AIM Pristina

Arben KRASNIQI