Bajrami opposes voting for Bekim Sejdiu: I will not be a number used to extend Albin Kurti’s rule

Hykmete Bajrami, a member of the Democratic League of Kosovo, has announced that she will not vote for Bekim Sejdiu as president. She is one of six LDK lawmakers who have declared their opposition to the candidacy.

In a Facebook post, Bajrami stressed that her mandate comes from the citizens and that she was not elected to serve as a number in the Assembly or to extend Albin Kurti’s rule.

“I have not delegated my vote to anyone,” she wrote.

Bajrami said that the support she received from citizens, including in the latest election, was given to represent them and oppose the misgovernance of Albin Kurti. According to her, throughout her political engagement she has worked in the country’s interest and defended the Democratic League of Kosovo as much as she could.

She described as unacceptable any agreement reached in the name of overcoming the institutional crisis that would extend Albin Kurti’s concentrated power.

“Kosovo needs functioning institutions, but above all it needs institutional balance, democratic oversight and accountability,” Bajrami said.

According to her, the concentration of nearly all institutional power in the hands of one party and one person is not a solution, but threatens democracy and harms the state. Bajrami added that this has already been proven over six consecutive years.

The lawmaker said she does not want new elections, but stressed that avoiding them cannot force lawmakers to vote for an agreement presented to them as a fait accompli.

She said that the names proposed for president of the Republic had not been discussed in advance with LDK lawmakers. According to her, if their votes were necessary, consultations should have taken place before the agreement was reached and made public.

“No one can negotiate a lawmaker’s vote and then, if they do not receive that vote, hold the lawmaker responsible for new elections,” Bajrami declared.

She recalled that elections cannot be avoided at all costs merely by electing a president, since the Assembly, because of LVV, has committed constitutional violations and exceeded the 30-day deadline for its constitution.

Bajrami pledged that until the end of her political engagement she would continue to represent the trust of the citizens and vote in accordance with her convictions and the country’s interests.

“53,788 votes are not only a privilege, but also a responsibility. I delegate this responsibility to no one,” she concluded.

Democracy!