A domestic power struggle, disputes over how best to tackle coronavirus and a split between US and European foreign policy have all combined to bring down the government in Kosovo, plunging the country into constitutional chaos just when it should be devising a local response to the pandemic.
The government of prime minister Albin Kurti lost a no-confidence vote brought by one of its own coalition partners late on Wednesday evening, by 82 votes to 32, with one abstention. It came after a tempestuous 12-hour debate in parliament.
In Kosovo, there was disbelief at the timing of the move. In recent days, residents have taken to banging pots and pans on their balconies to express their disgust at the timing of the political upheaval.
“People are very disappointed and angry about what is going on; they feel it’s very selfish from the parties and leaders who decided to tackle the government at this particular moment, when we all need to address the coronavirus issue,” said Agron Bajrami, editor-in-chief of Koha Ditore, Kosovo’s biggest daily newspaper.
“For the whole day the politicians were busy throwing venom at each other while the medical sector has needs which need to be fulfilled,” he said.
So far there have been 71 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Kosovo, with one death.
The political crisis is the culmination of a political battle between Kosovo’s president Hashim Thaçi, and Kurti, who was finally installed as prime minister in February after months of political wrangling to create a coalition. His party won the most votes in October elections on a leftwing, anti-corruption platform, but does not have the numbers to govern alone.
Kurti has been involved in a tussle with his coalition partner, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and fired the party’s interior minister last week for not being in line with government coronavirus policy and backing a state of emergency that would give Thaçi more power.
The spat has local origins but has been fuelled by deep divisions between European capitals and US foreign policy, with Donald Trump’s administration keen to see a deal done between Kosovo and Serbia. Belgrade refuses to recognise the independence of its former province, which split off from Serbia after a bloody crackdown from Belgrade triggered Nato bombing campaign in 1999.
The White House has been pushing for a deal between Belgrade and Pristina to be inked this year, in what would be seen as a triumph of diplomacy for Trump. While Thaçi has been amenable to US moves, Kurti was more sceptical, worried that a deal would involve making too many concessions to Serbia.
The European Union has also been pursuing negotiations towards a deal that would eventually allow accession for both countries, but has been moving on a slower timetable and is more wary of any deal that would involve a territorial exchange.
These tensions came to the surface ahead of the no-confidence vote, as European capitals reacted with horror to the vote of no confidence even as the US ambassador was egging it on.
The French and German ambassadors sent a terse note to the LDK on Tuesday asking it “to reconsider the no-confidence vote and maintain trusted and stable government to face challenges”. However, hours later, the US ambassador Philip Kosnett wrote on Twitter that he was “pleased” the vote would take place.
“We’ve never had a transatlantic split or the west speaking in different voices,” said Agon Maliqi, a political analyst.
The timing is particularly unfortunate. The battle against coronavirus in the country has already been hampered by tussles between the president and prime minister, resulting in confusing mixed messages being transmitted to the population. On Monday evening, Kurti’s government announced a double curfew, giving people just two four-hour windows during which they would be allowed to leave their homes each day.
Thaçi, however, blasted the rules as unconstitutional and called on people to ignore them. “Citizens are not obliged to respect this decision. Neither the police nor the security authorities should enforce this decision of the government,” he said.
The next steps are unclear: Kosovo’s constitution calls for elections within 45 days, which would seem to be impossible during a pandemic. The other option is for the president to invite the leader of the biggest party to govern, which is Kurti.
In a message posted on Facebook on Thursday lunchtime, Kurti vowed his government would continue in a caretaker role and slammed Thaçi and Richard Grenell, the US ambassador to Germany who has been the point man for White House attempts to strike a Kosovo-Serbia deal.
He said the vote had proceeded after a “signal” from Grenell, and showed that “there are over 80 MPs in Kosovo ready to risk the lives of citizens only to back a presidential [land] exchange.”
