The extraordinary assembly of the Democratic League of Kosovo, held last week, gave Lumir Abdixhiku the delegates’ support to remain at the party’s helm for another term. This vote ended the attempt to remove him, while the majority of delegates reaffirmed their trust in the current leadership.
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In a statement to “Bota sot,” commentator Idriz Zeqiraj spoke about a severe internal crisis in the LDK. According to him, a group that enjoyed the backing of the PDK was trying to dismiss Lumir Abdixhiku and stop the formation of a coalition with the LVV.
He asserted that, up until July 30, the LDK was in its deepest crisis in a decade and a half. In Zeqiraj’s version, some malcontents in the party hierarchy, incited and supported by PAN, especially the PDK, attempted what he described as a “mafia-style coup” against Abdixhiku and his leadership.
According to Zeqiraj, this group’s aim was to oppose an LDK-LVV coalition and preserve the political alliance with the PANist opposition, mainly the PDK. He claims the group had secretly worked for the amnesty of crime and criminals, while now seeking the full rehabilitation of people who, in his view, had bloodied the LDK and Kosovo.
Zeqiraj stated that Isa Mustafa had long led the effort with delegates of the General Council, gathering their signatures to call the assembly aimed at dismissing the chairman.
On the other hand, according to him, Lumir Abdixhiku accepted the challenge of submitting to a vote without any prior preparations and without securing signatures from delegates. The only message the chairman addressed to them was to vote according to their conscience and will, placing the interest of the LDK and Kosovo first.
Zeqiraj assessed that, during the explanation of the reasons for holding this “extraordinary assembly,” Lumir Abdixhiku was clear, open, and direct. According to him, Abdixhiku even had reproachful tones towards former close associates who had selected and voted for him at the 10th Assembly.
He considers that the initiative to hinder the talks started between the LDK and the LVV, as well as to block the union and profiling of the right in Kosovo, failed. The assembly that had been called for dismissal instead reconfirmed Dr. Lumir Abdixhiku as chairman of the LDK.
The Assembly decided that all party topics should be discussed within the LDK’s structures and not turned into matters of gossip in the “bazaar.” Likewise, it was decided that the acts of the governing bodies are mandatory for every party member to implement, and that nobody should speak on behalf of the LDK without the leadership’s authorization.
Zeqiraj said that the parties that had been in opposition until then accepted the Assembly’s decisions and pledged a genuine union for the good of the LDK and Kosovo.
The reactions of the dissatisfied group, according to him, were tendentious and even contained slander against the chairman and the LDK leadership. He also claims that the demand to organize the Assembly did not come from the party base, but was instigated by certain individuals inside the party, who also received media support.
According to Zeqiraj, the claim that the demand for a dismissal assembly came “from below” was untrue. He says this thesis was first floated by two members of the Presidency, whom he described as early members of a clan and loyalists of former chairman Isa Mustafa. Later, some municipal mayors joined the criticism, which culminated with several MPs whom Zeqiraj called careerists and for whom he said that, over years and decades, they had benefited from the LDK through party and government posts.
He claimed that media dominated by PAN, mainly the PDK, had given these voices ample space on purpose, while simultaneously running a campaign for their election as MPs.
Facing what Zeqiraj described as a fierce intraparty campaign, unprecedented in the history of Kosovo’s political parties, Abdixhiku had repeatedly called for meetings of the Presidency. However, according to him, the critics who spoke in the “bazaar” boycotted these meetings. Some of them, as he stated, resigned from the LDK Presidency on Isa Mustafa’s orders, with the aim of dramatizing the situation and deepening the party crisis.
Zeqiraj admits that the defending side, especially Lumir Abdixhiku, found itself unprepared against a series of general and unsubstantiated accusations. The response came through rather sharp replies and counter-accusations that, in his view, in some cases exceeded the standard required by the chairman’s position.
He also criticized some all-night analysts, whose shows were rebroadcast the following day, accusing them of joining a shameful and malevolent campaign aimed at destroying, even extinguishing, the LDK.
Nevertheless, Zeqiraj believes such a thing will not happen. According to him, the LDK has been and will continue to be the backbone of politics in Kosovo, from which the Balkan region has also learned. For this reason, despite periods of rise and fall, the party will manage to find the strength to recover and ensure lasting stability.
Zeqiraj described the Assembly’s decision to extend Abdixhiku’s mandate until next year’s regular elections as fair and long-awaited not only by the LDK but also by Albanians. According to him, this was the right verdict of an unusual “extraordinary” Assembly, whose holding had been imposed by a group he considers heavily blackmailed by the PDK.
He stressed that the LDK, which he describes as an academic house, has ready cadres, with intellectual and professional background, who can take over the leadership of President Rugova’s party.
In his assessment, the LDK must rely on personalities who have integrity, professional preparation, experience, and proven contribution, because they can strengthen the party and restore citizens’ trust. As a team chosen for the good of the LDK, he singled out Vjosa Osmani, Ukë Rugova, and military men Anton Quni and Fadil Hadergjonaj.
Regarding Dr. Vjosa Osmani, Zeqiraj said she possesses high intellectual preparation, personality, and full integrity — qualities she has demonstrated during numerous confrontations over more than a decade. He described her rebellion to challenge and push out Isa Mustafa, whom he portrayed as a chairman catapulted by the PDK to the head of the LDK, as civic and intellectual courage, despite the consequences Osmani suffered.
According to him, Vjosa Osmani’s major objective of removing PAN from power, together with “the commanders” and the Mustafa clan, fully justified the joining of forces with the LVV. Zeqiraj asserted that the continuation of PAN rule, which he links with crimes and theft, would constitute cynicism and a severe provocation for the citizens of Kosovo and Albanians everywhere.
He considers Vjosa Osmani’s return to her original political home necessary and acceptable in time and space. As proof of this welcome, Zeqiraj mentioned the fact that, out of 141 LDK voters, more than 93 thousand of them voted for Vjosa Osmani.
He stressed that this result came after a denigrating and slanderous campaign, synchronized between the ruling bloc and the opposition. He called the frontal attack on President Vjosa Osmani impudence and thuggery at a national level, while estimating that Kosovo will need at least two decades to prepare a second figure like her.
Speaking about Ukë Rugova, Zeqiraj declared that he became a victim because of his father, Ibrahim Rugova. According to him, PAN, after failing to remove President Ibrahim Rugova from the “Pantheon of Glory” while he was alive, tried to strike him after death through his children.
He claims the accusation against Ukë Rugova was entirely fabricated and that PAN leaders undertook many actions to denigrate Rugova’s children, aiming to direct the blow at Ibrahim Rugova himself. In this context, Zeqiraj also mentioned the awarding of two deputy prime minister posts, even though neither the party Presidency nor, even less, its membership existed.
According to him, although the Italian Court had acquitted the Italian Embassy officials regarding the “Visa Process,” Ukë Rugova continued to remain a hostage of justice in Kosovo. Zeqiraj says that later his sister, Teuta Rugova, would be drawn into the “game.”
He asserted that, out of the 120 deputies of Kosovo’s Parliament, the PANist leaders singled out Teuta Rugova and targeted her for victimization, with the aim of patching together a phantom PAN government. He described this action as blackmail and a unique crime, adding that President Rugova survived even this storm, which he described as criminal and thuggish by his political opponents.
For Ukë Rugova, Zeqiraj said he has good intellectual preparation and is wise, kind, communicative, and measured — traits he considers a biological inheritance from his father, Ibrahim Rugova.
He noted that all factions in the LDK refer to Rugova’s name, but have not taken any particular action to care for his children. According to Zeqiraj, they were left to the mercy of fate and became prey for beneficiaries fully connected with PAN.
Zeqiraj stated that Ukë Rugova suffered a lot simply because he was Ibrahim Rugova’s son, while the LDK made not even the slightest effort to denounce the real cause of his punishment. He emphasized that delayed innocence dims justice, and that the time has now come to repay this outstanding debt.
Finally, he also praised Anton Quni and Fadil Hadërgjonaj as military men with sufficient knowledge and leadership experience. According to Zeqiraj, they are characterized by military tradition and correctness, while they regard equality in command as a norm. He also mentioned their proven patriotism on the battlefields for liberation and freedom, concluding that Anton Quni and Fadil Hadërgjonaj bring elegance, charm, and pride to President Rugova’s party.
