Mekuli: Electing Kosovo’s president also requires compromise

Journalist Gëzim Mekuli has appealed to parliamentary parties to reach an agreement on electing Kosovo’s president, describing the process as essential for the state.

According to Mekuli, political differences and party interests must be set aside, as the current circumstances require institutional unity. To illustrate the need for compromise, he cited Norway, which chose a Danish prince as its king in 1905.

The full text:

Kosovo needs a president, even if an unconventional solution must be found.

Even if the parties hold different positions, electing a president today is about Kosovo’s existence, not narrow party interests.

Therefore, my appeal goes out to all parties in the Assembly: sit down and talk, challenge one another, debate and raise your voices as you usually have, but find a solution for the presidency.

The international geopolitical landscape faces unpredictable upheavals. The Republic must come before parties and personal grudges. The Assembly needs unity and sound judgment, not emotions; every word and formulation must therefore be chosen carefully.

Honorable members of parliament, the defense of the KLA’s superhuman struggle is also taking place in Kosovo’s Assembly. The defense in the judicial and legal proceedings against the KLA in The Hague is mounted within the Republic’s institutions. This is the arena where public and media pressure must be applied. Elect a president, find a president, create one; if necessary, even borrow a president for Kosovo’s sake if you cannot find one in the Albanian world.

The Norwegians did this with their king. In 1905, after much suffering, they became an independent state and “borrowed” a prince from Denmark to place at the helm as king, in the country’s interests. They did not let egos, grudges, parties or origins dictate their actions, but sought an urgent solution that served the Norwegian nation and Norway as a state.

Compromise did not weaken Norway. There was noise from the streets and cafés back then, too, but the Norwegian elite was not swayed by it. On the contrary, by putting the state first, the Norwegians took a major step forward.

Today, to defend Kosovo, we too must place it above our personal interests, just as our heroes and heroines did, as did those who sacrificed themselves for Albanian identity, freedom, independence and well-being, through suffering, sacrifices, anguish and tears from 1878 to the present day.

Elect a president, even if you must devise an extraordinary solution. If necessary, borrow one, but take this step. Kosovo belongs to all its citizens, regardless of party, gender, religion, nationality or social status.

Above all, do not fulfill the wishes of Gavrilloviq, Çubrilloviq, Andriq, Millosheviq and Vuçiq.