Socialist Albin Kurti Becomes The Next Leader of Kosovo

Published February 15th, 2021 - 09:34 GMT

Albin Kurti leader of the Vetevendosje (Selfdetermination) prepares to cast his vote during Parliamentary elections at a polling station in Pristina on February 14, 2021. Kosovo heads to the polls in a vote pitting a left-wing reformist party against traditional elites who have run the former Serbian province for the past decade. Armend NIMANI / AFP

Highlights

This great victory will lead us to justice without revenge, says Albin Kurti.

Kosovo's left-wing opposition leader Albin Kurti declared victory early Monday in the country's sixth general elections.

Kurti, who leads the socialist Self-Determination Movement (LVV), made the announcement during a press conference at the party’s headquarters together with his coalition partner Vjosa Osmani, the acting president of Kosovo.

@albinkurti across decades:

1997: Organizer of non-violent student protests against Serbian brutality

2000: Prisoner in #Serbia

2015: Arrested for disrupting #Kosovo parliament sessions

2019: @LVetevendosje wins elections; its government overthrown during the pandemic pic.twitter.com/bkmPn8Ms98
— Rilind Latifi (@RilindLatifi) February 14, 2021

Kurti described his victory as an unprecedented result in post-war Kosovo.

"This great victory tonight is just an opportunity for us to start the change we want. We will not retaliate against anyone, but we will demand responsibility for everyone and everywhere, so justice without revenge,'' he said.

"Without spite and revanchism, without bribes for businesses, without corruption and nepotism in the administration, with institutional and social justice, with individual reciprocal responsibility, we will develop and democratize our country.”

Osmani said a historic result was achieved.

"Our mission remains to strengthen our statehood on the path to Euro-Atlantic integration with eternal friendship with the United States," he said.

Kosovars voted in snap polls Sunday to choose new members of the country’s 120-seat parliament, with the LVV leading with 47.83% based on 90% of the votes counted, according to the Central Election Commission (CIK).

Polling stations closed Sunday evening following the second parliamentary election in 18 months.

According to the latest data on the CIK’s website, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) is in second place with 17.31%, while the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) is third with 13.37%.

The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) is fourth with 7.60%.

The Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo (KDTP), which is not subject to a 5% electoral threshold as they are a minority party, won 0.73% of the vote, and the Innovative Turkish Movement Party (YTHP) garnered 0.14%.

Even the late Ibrahim Rugova didn’t have as strong a personal mandate to lead #Kosovo as Albin Kurti now has. Great power, great responsibility etc. @VjosaOsmaniMP has makings of great President (parl-appointed) & figurehead for Kosovo on world stage. Cabinet will be interesting.
— Daniel Hamilton (@danielrhamilton) February 14, 2021

Turnout was 47% and the voting process took place smoothly, but it did not include votes cast by mail or from the diaspora.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (0600GMT) and closed at 7 p.m. (1800GMT).

The Assembly of Kosovo is made up of 120 deputies, 10 of whom are representatives of the Serbian community and 10 from other minority communities.

The Turkish community has two seats in parliament.

In Kosovo's last general election in 2019, the turnout was 45%.

The former Serbian province of Kosovo declared independence on Feb. 17, 2008 and is recognized by more than 100 countries, including the US, the UK, France, Germany and Turkey.

This article has been adapted from its original source.