Kurti after victory: Much work ahead of us, justice and employment are priorities

(Patria) - The Self-Determination Movement won the early parliamentary elections in Kosovo, according to preliminary official results, which could further complicate efforts to resolve the decades-long dispute with neighboring Serbia.

Based on more than 90 percent of the ballots counted, Self-Determination received 47.75 percent of the votes, far ahead of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) with 17.34 percent, the currently ruling Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) with 13.41 percent of the votes, and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) with 7.60 percent.

Self-Determination leader Albin Kurti, who served as prime minister for less than two months last year, has promised to fight widespread corruption and advocated for no compromises in the dialogue with Serbia.

"This was a referendum for justice, against state capture and corruption. This is unprecedented in post-war Kosovo," Kurti told a press conference from his party's headquarters in Pristina, proclaiming victory in the elections.

"A new day begins tomorrow. There is a lot of work and obligations ahead of us, as the country is in crisis," he said, adding that everyone must take responsibility to make Kosovo a country where people can live.

However, Self-Determination would have to join forces with at least one other party to form a government, if it does not secure a majority of 61 seats in parliament.

"We need 61 MPs to form a government," Kurti also said after the elections.

"We will wait for all votes to be counted, and we will certainly have a new government without including those who should move to the opposition," said the Self-Determination leader.

The candidate for prime minister from the currently ruling LDK, Avdullah Hoti, stated at a press conference in Pristina that he takes "full responsibility" for his party's results in the Kosovo elections. Hoti stated that the "results are different from what was expected".

"In the coming days, I will discuss with the LDK bodies my responsibility in these elections," Hoti said.

The candidate for prime minister for the PDK, Enver Hoxhaj, congratulated the Self-Determination Movement on their victory in the parliamentary elections.

Hoxhaj called on Self-Determination to work on strengthening the state, noting that the PDK will not be part of the future government.

AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj expressed readiness for a coalition with Self-Determination after the election results were announced.

"We said we have no 'red lines', neither for Self-Determination nor for any political entity," Haradinaj said.

The coalition government led by Kurti lasted only 51 days last year before it was overthrown by a no-confidence vote due to actions during the coronavirus pandemic.

After Sunday evening's elections, Kurti reiterated what he had said before the elections - that his priority would not be the formation of a negotiating team for dialogue with Serbia. At the press conference after the elections, he added that dialogue with Serbia ranks "sixth or seventh in public opinion".

"Our priority is justice and employment," Kurti added.

Serb List, which, like in previous years, was the only Serbian party in Kosovo supported by official Belgrade, won more than 36,000 votes, or more than 70 percent of the votes of voters in predominantly Serb areas.

Serb List President Goran Rakić stated at a press conference that, according to preliminary results, the list won all ten seats in the Kosovo Assembly reserved for the Serb community.

"This is a victory for Serbian unity, Serbian harmony, this is proof that we want to remain in our own land," Rakić said.

Rakić stated that 99 percent of Kosovo citizens from the Serb community voted for the Serb List. He also stated that, according to the results so far, the Serb List won five percent more votes than in the last parliamentary elections in 2019.

(Radio Free Europe)