LDK convenes Extraordinary Assembly amid hopes for revival and risks of clashes

The Democratic League of Kosovo announced that its chairman has decided to call an Extraordinary Assembly, after the statutory requirement was met, which requires the support with signatures of at least one third of the delegates.

The session will take place on Thursday, July 30.

A few hours later, Lumir Abdixhiku, the head of LDK, said on Facebook that he considers this meeting “unnecessary, untimely, and out of place.” He admitted, however, that despite his conviction that the process is “harmful and divisive,” he called the assembly out of respect for democracy. “As such, I have to accept it. Even when I don’t think it’s right. I respect democracy because I believe in it. That’s why I face it. I expect others to do the same after Thursday, when the LDK speaks again,” he wrote.

LDK member Bajram Gecaj believes that this Extraordinary Assembly will bring a turning point and new energy for the party. In a statement to “Bota sot,” he stressed that although there may be dissatisfaction, he sees no risk of division and expects a new stage to open both for the LDK and for the country.

Describing the LDK as the only serious party in Kosovo with a democratic culture, Gecaj noted that it has already resolved, albeit with difficulty, the issue of leadership change, succeeding the historic president Ibrahim Rugova with three leaders. He called for reflection, change, and moving forward, stressing the need for a new strategy, energy, and loyalty to the values cultivated over 37 years. According to him, the dissatisfactions will not turn into a rupture, because the party needs everyone and those who wish to join. Gecaj concluded that from this assembly he expects the start of a new chapter for the LDK and Kosovo.

Meanwhile, activist Saim Tahiraj considers July 30 the most challenging day for the political entity since the end of the war. For “Bota sot,” he assessed that in principle this process should be normal and statutory, but tensions between the two groups could hinder the achievement of a result expected by the membership and the electorate.

Tahiraj explained that in a functional democracy, the winner should be accepted and congratulated by everyone, to then proceed with deep reforms that would bring the LDK out united and strong in the next elections. However, he added that for the moment optimism is limited, because both camps have hardened into strong positions and without reducing tensions there is a risk that the meeting will not produce the expected result. He asked authoritative figures within the LDK to work for calm, dialogue, and democratic unity, stressing that the party must emerge united to strengthen its position as a serious alternative.

He also suggested broad consultations to find a consensual figure who enjoys trust and represents the values of the LDK. According to him, no experiments should be made with people who have not grown politically within the party or who have just joined. The unifying figure, Tahiraj concluded, must come from within the LDK, because any other experimental alternative risks further dissatisfaction, division, and weakening of the party.