Kosovo’s new president, Justina Shiroka-Pula, faces several important tasks at the beginning of her term. Among the main priorities are protecting the constitutional order, coordinating between institutions, increasing Kosovo’s role in foreign policy and engaging in issues related to former KLA leaders.
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Former diplomat Albert Prenkaj told KosovaPress that the president’s fundamental duty should be to guarantee the implementation of the Constitution and ensure that institutions function within the powers defined by it.
According to Prenkaj, the Presidency can also play an important role in foreign relations. He believes that Shiroka-Pula can help increase communication with international partners and ensure stronger representation of Kosovo on the global stage.
“The president’s absolute priority is to be the guarantor of the Constitution and constitutionality. She must ensure, without compromise, that all of Kosovo’s institutions function in accordance with the constitutional order. In addition, the president also has a special role in foreign policy. A figure with credibility and integrity, as President Pula is believed to be, can return Kosovo to the international stage at a time when the country is considered isolated in its communication with the world and when foreign policy is seen as sluggish. Although Kosovo has a foreign minister and a Foreign Ministry, the president can become an important representative of foreign policy at this moment,” Prenkaj said.
International relations professor Dritëro Arifi considers closer cooperation between the Presidency, the Government and the Assembly essential.
He stresses that these institutions should act on the basis of a common approach, particularly in foreign policy, so that Kosovo presents consistent positions to its allies and international partners.
Arifi also mentions the importance of developments related to the Specialist Chambers, particularly following the adoption of the new Law on the Specialist Chambers. According to him, following the conviction of the KLA quartet, a task force should be established to coordinate and monitor the process.
“A different dynamic and deeper cooperation between the Presidency, the Government, the Assembly and the political parties would be expected from the Presidency. Given the urgency of the Specialist Chambers issue, the establishment of a task force should begin immediately. It must be determined who will lead it and whether a Parliament–Presidency–Government triangle will be formed to coordinate and monitor developments in real time. The Presidency and the foreign minister must be on the same page, as disagreements would portray Kosovo as an uncoordinated and unserious state, with differing interpretations of foreign policy. Opportunities could open up if the State Department, Washington and the White House become convinced that Kosovo should be treated as an equal state. Currently, Kosovo is not being treated in the same way as other countries in the region,” Arifi stressed.
Albert Prenkaj also believes that the new president could take on a unifying role by bringing together experts who would work on issues related to the proceedings against former KLA leaders.
He said that among the first actions should also be the establishment of official communication with Brussels and The Hague on issues related to international agreements and the Specialist Chambers.
According to Prenkaj, the president should become a reference point for experts who would contribute to defending and proving the innocence of KLA leaders and former senior state officials, including the president, the speaker of the Assembly and members of the Assembly.
“What has become clear over the past 20 days is the need for the president to establish around herself a group of experts who would have a state-level role in defending and proving the innocence of KLA leaders and former senior state officials. One of the priorities of the first days should be drafting an exchange of letters with official Brussels, as well as with The Hague, to request amendments to the existing international agreement. The latest law supplementing and amending the law on the Specialist Chambers should serve as the basis for amending this international agreement and the old law,” Prenkaj declared.
Justina Shiroka-Pula was elected president at midnight between October 6 and 7. She secured 81 votes from lawmakers following an agreement reached between the governing party, the Vetëvendosje Movement, and the largest opposition party, the PDK.
