The Formation of a Parallel Government

The Democratic League of Kosovo secured an overwhelming electoral victory (amongst 22 political parties and associations of ethnic Albanians, ethnic Turks and Moslems, which put forward 511 candidates) by obtaining 96 out of possible 130 parliamentary seats. Mr. Ibrahim Rugova as the only presidential candidate got 99.5% of votes. Thus the so-called parallel government in Kosovo has been formed.

Reporters were allowed to circulate freely and unaccompanied, and check the voting process wherever they wanted. The Serbian police, save on a number of occasions, did not intervene. The Croatian delegation was literally expelled from Pristina, while, on the day before the elections, entry to Kosovo was denied to a group of Albanian journalists from Tirana, coming from Macedonia.

The Central Electoral Board did not receive any complaints from parties or MP candidates concerning the course of the elections. An open question remains: why did Mr. Skelzen Malliqi (currently the Vice-President of the Social-Democratic Party), or Mr. Burhan Kavaja (the leader of the Association of Independent Trade Unions, who ran as a Parliamentary Party candidate) lose to almost anonymous opponents? Smaller non-populist parties, such as the Parliamentary, Social-Democratic, Christian-Democratic and Farmers` parties, remain in opposition.

Mr. Veton Suroi, the Parliamentary Party leader, said that the elections were neither free nor democratic. They were not free because Kosovo is not free, and in that sense, it was not possible to institutionally organize free elections with free expression, i.e. electoral rallies, electoral campaigns in the media (because the media are controlled by the Serbian government), putting up posters. Neither were they democratic, because there were no possibilities for them to be properly organized, so that some undemocratic tendencies (quite normal in such circumstances) were manifested. Concerning his own party's future activity, Mr. Suroi said that it will remain in opposition, in the sense of rational political actions, it being important at the moment to gradually establish conditions in which emphasis will be given to peaceful resistance and preparations for the necessary dialogue. He also said that the Serbian side will not be too happy with these elections. However, according to Mr. Suroi, the Serbian government has made a wise political move by refraining from any large-scale repressive measures during the elections, but he also believes that it is waiting for a chance to use them.

We asked Mr. Skelzen Malliqi about the possibility of Kosovo "joining" the so-called Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. He replied that, having in mind the way in which the FRY is presently organized, it is highly unlikely that Kosovo, i.e. the ethnic Albanians, could agree to this solution at the moment. However, if real negotiations and talks are initiated, especially now, when ethnic Albanians have their own legitimate representatives, a compromise, which would please all, could be reached. Commenting on Mr. Rugova`s statement on "the peaceful hand-over of power", Mr. Malliqi said that it is a normal idea, since ethnic Albanians are living in colonial conditions. It would not be the only case of colonizers withdrawing peacefully, through negotiations. Serbia cannot hold Kosovo much longer and will have to step down somehow, concluded Mr. Malliqi.