Albanian leaders in North Macedonia welcome the election of Justina Shiroka Pula as Kosovo’s president

Leaders of Albanian political parties in North Macedonia have reacted to the election of Justina Shiroka Pula as Kosovo’s president, describing the development as a step toward institutional stability, Telegrafi Macedonia reports.

Ali Ahmeti, leader of the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), said Kosovo had demonstrated political maturity and state responsibility by resolving the political crisis.

“I followed with particular attention tonight the political maturity and high state responsibility of Kosovo’s political authorities, who managed to resolve the political crisis by avoiding new snap parliamentary elections and placing at the head of the state Justina Shiroka Pula, chairwoman of the Kosovo Academy of Sciences and Arts. Institutional stability, a focus on solutions that ensure a better future for citizens, and placing the state and public interest above party interests should always serve as guiding principles for the political authorities of the Republic of Kosovo, Europe’s youngest state, built on the sacrifice and blood of the nation’s finest sons. Let us not forget that we won our freedom with blood, while our liberation was achieved with allies,” Ahmeti said.

Bilall Kasami, one of VLEN’s leaders, said the election of the new president was steering Kosovo toward stronger institutional stability.

“I welcome the election of Justina Shiroka Pula as President of the Republic of Kosovo. I wish her a successful and prosperous mandate. We look forward to working closely together, as two brotherly states, for the benefit of our citizens. I congratulate all political actors in Kosovo on the consensus reached regarding the Law on the Specialist Chambers. I am pleased that Kosovo is moving in the right direction toward institutional stability, and I therefore congratulate and thank Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, for his unifying and statesmanlike leadership,” Kasami said.

Arben Taravari, leader of the Alliance for Albanians (AA), also described the election as an important development for Kosovo’s political stability.

“Congratulations to Kosovo, which woke up today with a president, thus taking a very important step toward stability! Congratulations to academician Justina Shiroka Pula, whom I am happy to call Madam President from today,” Taravari wrote.

Ziadin Sela, leader of the Albanian League, stressed that Kosovo had benefited from the election of its president.

“A good start to holding the political class accountable for its responsibility toward the state of Kosovo. With today’s decision, Kosovo was saved and emerged victorious! It was saved from an institutional crisis with dangerous consequences, from the polarization of society, from unrest and from scenarios whose outcome no one knows. Kosovo gained stability, while the KLA leaders also benefited, as, in addition to the law, they will now have the institutions and full attention needed to win the legal and diplomatic battle,” Sela wrote./Telegrafi/