Life in Kosovo discusses about emergency situations
Tonight, Life in Kosovo will broadcast a debate on the emergency situations in our country.
Read more
Every Thursday starting from 20:30, Radio Television Kosovo, RTK, broadcasts the TV debate show "Life in Kosovo", a joint production of BIRN and RTK.
Read more
Life in Kosovo debates political parties
05 November 2009 Life in Kosovo discussed Kosovo’s political parties.
coalition function? Which party gives the most promises? What complaints are political parties making? How ready is Kosovo to host fair and democratic elections?
To discuss these issues and others concerning Kosovo’s upcoming local elections, Muhamet Hajrullahu’s guests in the studio were:
Hajredin Kuçi, Vice President of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK)
Lutki Haziri, Vice President of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK)
Ibrahim Makolli, Vice President of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR)
Besa Gaxheri, Vice President of the Democratic League of Dardania (LDD)
Blerim Shala, Vice President of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK)
Hajrullahu began the show by reminding the panel that, since the November 15 polls are to be the first organised elections in the independent Republic of
Kosovo, viewers are interested to know more about the electoral campaign. Thus, he asked Hajredin Kuçi of the PDK for his evaluation of the campaign. Kuçi
claimed that, thus far, all parties’ campaigns had been within the framework of democratic elections, in which citizens would have an opportunity to hear
various suggestions on how a better future could be built.
Lutki Haziri of the LDK stated that this campaign, which was announced by Kosovo’s president much earlier than for previous elections, had seen better
structured plans. He went on to say that for the LDK, the campaign has been conducted in accordance with the electoral code.
Ibrahim Makolli of the AKR claimed that it is significant for his party also that these are the first elections since Kosovo’s declaration of independence
and, even though a few people did not respect the timeframe for starting campaigns, his party had respected all the rules.
Besa Gaxheri from the LDD agreed partly with her colleagues about the campaign, but added that Kosovo now “knows how elections should be organised and the
government should take more responsibility for organising them”. However, she claimed, a lot of improper remarks and irregularities had emerged over the
campaign period. Furthermore, she said that supporters of all political parties must avoid resorting to violence in order to beat others, in order to maintain
stability and clearly promote a democratic programme.
Blerim Shala of the AAK also claimed that the November 15 polls are of great importance to Kosovo since it provides an opportunity for the country to show its
maturity and stability as a state capable of democratic processes. His party, he said, is working on a fair and democratic election campaign. “All parties must
have clear programmes to ensure that the needs of Kosovo’s citizens will be best fulfilled and the distance between the state and citizens will shrink,” he concluded.
Hajrullahu asked Kuçi to comment on the allegations that the PDK began its campaign earlier than the determined schedule. Kuçi replied that the “cycle of
accusations must be overcome,” and secondly that the results of the vote will “reveal the will of Kosovo’s citizens, not election posters”. He then stated
that only competent institutions can determine whether there had been a violation of campaign regulations and, since no legal officials had said anything,
Kuçi claimed that the PDK had not violated any regulations. In conclusion, he claimed to be convinced that the PDK’s actions had not been in order to win
citizen’s votes, but rather to inform them about their electoral campaign.
Hajtullahu then asked Haziri whether he agreed with Kuçi. In response, Haziri said that the two men “agree to disagree,” and that the governing parties have
no right to interfere with the independent Electoral Commissions.
Makolli considered that the candidates for local elections should have to wait for accreditation from the Central Election Committee (CEC) before beginning
their campaigns. He contrasted this ideal with the current campaign, which had seen some candidates disrespecting this requirement. However, he expressed
satisfaction that the Election Committee for Appeals and Complaints (ECAC) had finally prepared their office to accept complaints. Makolli also mentioned a
few threats which had been heard during the campaign, and claimed that these should be stopped since “they will lead the country nowhere”.
In response to these statements, Gaxheri said that the CEC and ECAC had been established by the government, although the latter must not influence them.
She went on to say that, in her opinion, the greatest problem with Kosovo’s elections is the lack of a “well-established legislative body in which all
political parties are equal before the law”.
Shala then expressed his concerns about the campaign. First, he said, the Ahtisaari plan required that Kosovo’s elections be monitored by an international
body, something which has not been instituted. Secondly, that there are very few international observers. Thirdly, that the CEC had started work late.
Shala contrasted this with previous elections, in which OSCE was disturbed if the exact date for polls was not determined six months in advance. The government’s
slow action on establishing the CEC, and the delay in updating voter lists reflects serious problems with the whole process, he said.
Throughout the discussion, many allegations were made that the current government had acted outside of accordance with the law, and that voting legislation
had not been fully respected. All the participants agreed that no party should abuse their power if they were governing during elections by fulfilling only
their own party’s interests; instead, common welfare was defined as the only acceptable incentive for action. It was often claimed that the results of the
November 15 elections may be unreliable due to the lack of a stable legal system, truly independent election committees and international observers.
Kuçi concluded that the commissions must fulfil their moral obligations, and people must go out to vote, not only for their individual benefit, but for the
common interest of Kosovo’s society. Haziri added that the LDK anticipates that election day will witness people acting in line with their obligations as
citizens, in order to help build a better future for the country.
Life in Kosovo is a co-production between Kosovo Public Television, RTK and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN. It is broadcast every Thursday,
starting at 20:20.
The main questions under discussion were: How is the electoral campaign going? Who will win the elections? How does the governing coalition function? Which party gives the most promises? What complaints are political parties making? How ready is Kosovo to host fair and democratic elections?
To discuss these issues and others concerning Kosovo’s upcoming local elections, Muhamet Hajrullahu’s guests in the studio were:
Hajredin Kuçi, Vice President of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK)
Lutki Haziri, Vice President of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK)
Ibrahim Makolli, Vice President of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR)
Besa Gaxheri, Vice President of the Democratic League of Dardania (LDD)
Blerim Shala, Vice President of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK)
Hajrullahu began the show by reminding the panel that, since the November 15 polls are to be the first organised elections in the independent Republic of Kosovo, viewers are interested to know more about the electoral campaign.
Thus, he asked Hajredin Kuçi of the PDK for his evaluation of the campaign. Kuçi claimed that, thus far, all parties’ campaigns had been within the framework of democratic elections, in which citizens would have an opportunity to hear various suggestions on how a better future could be built.
Lutki Haziri of the LDK stated that this campaign, which was announced by Kosovo’s president much earlier than for previous elections, had seen better structured plans. He went on to say that for the LDK, the campaign has been conducted in accordance with the electoral code.
Ibrahim Makolli of the AKR claimed that it is significant for his party also that these are the first elections since Kosovo’s declaration of independence and, even though a few people did not respect the timeframe for starting campaigns, his party had respected all the rules.
Besa Gaxheri from the LDD agreed partly with her colleagues about the campaign, but added that Kosovo now “knows how elections should be organised and the government should take more responsibility for organising them”.
However, she claimed, a lot of improper remarks and irregularities had emerged over the campaign period. Furthermore, she said that supporters of all political parties must avoid resorting to violence in order to beat others, in order to maintain stability and clearly promote a democratic programme.
Blerim Shala of the AAK also claimed that the November 15 polls are of great importance to Kosovo since it provides an opportunity for the country to show its maturity and stability as a state capable of democratic processes.
His party, he said, is working on a fair and democratic election campaign. “All parties must have clear programmes to ensure that the needs of Kosovo’s citizens will be best fulfilled and the distancebetween the state and citizens will shrink,” he concluded.
Hajrullahu asked Kuçi to comment on the allegations that the PDK began its campaign earlier than the determined schedule.
Kuçi replied that the “cycle of accusations must be overcome,” and secondly that the results of the vote will “reveal the will of Kosovo’s citizens, not election posters”.
He then stated that only competent institutions can determine whether there had been a violation of campaign regulations and, since no legal officials had said anything, Kuçi claimed that the PDK had not violated any regulations.
In conclusion, he claimed to be convinced that the PDK’s actions had not been in order to win citizen’s votes, but rather to inform them about their electoral campaign.
Hajtullahu then asked Haziri whether he agreed with Kuçi. In response, Haziri said that the two men “agree to disagree,” and that the governing parties have no right to interfere with the independent Electoral Commissions.
Makolli considered that the candidates for local elections should have to wait for accreditation from the Central Election Committee (CEC) before beginning their campaigns. He contrasted this ideal with the current campaign, which had seen some candidates disrespecting this requirement.
However, he expressed satisfaction that the Election Committee for Appeals and Complaints (ECAC) had finally prepared their office to accept complaints. Makolli also mentioned a few threats which had been heard during the campaign, and claimed that these should be stopped since “they will lead the country nowhere”.
In response to these statements, Gaxheri said that the CEC and ECAC had been established by the government, although the latter must not influence them.
She went on to say that, in her opinion, the greatest problem with Kosovo’s elections is the lack of a “well-established legislative body in which all political parties are equal before the law”.
Shala then expressed his concerns about the campaign. First, he said, the Ahtisaari plan required that Kosovo’s elections be monitored by an international body, something which has not been instituted. Secondly, that there are very few international observers.
Thirdly, that the CEC had started work late. Shala contrasted this with previous elections, in which OSCE was disturbed if the exact date for polls was not determined six months in advance.
The government’s slow action on establishing the CEC, and the delay in updating voter lists reflects serious problems with the whole process, he said.
Throughout the discussion, many allegations were made that the current government had acted outside of accordance with the law, and that voting legislation had not been fully respected.
All the participants agreed that no party should abuse their power if they were governing during elections by fulfilling only their own party’s interests; instead, common welfare was defined as the only acceptable incentive for action.
It was often claimed that the results of the November 15 elections may be unreliable due to the lack of a stable legal system, truly independent election committees and international observers.
Kuçi concluded that the commissions must fulfil their moral obligations, and people must go out to vote, not only for their individual benefit, but for the common interest of Kosovo’s society.
Haziri added that the LDK anticipates that election day will witness people acting in line with their obligations as citizens, in order to helpbuild a better future for the country.
Life in Kosovo is a co-production between Kosovo Public Television, RTK and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN. It is broadcast every Thursday, starting at 20:20.
THE PROCESS OF JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS OF JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS
The report on the process of judicial appointments and reappointments analysis the flow of this process, specifically focusing on the bright and dark sides that have marred the process to its final stages.
COURT MONITORING ANNUAL REPORT APRIL 2010 - FEBRUARY 2011
Court monitoring report is published as a result of a continuous monitoring of all municipal and districts courts of Kosovo. The findings of this report are based on the monitoring of 2,147 court hearings, by BIRN monitors.
THE PROCESS OF JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS
This report presents the results of part of BIRN's court monitoring project, specifically on the process for the appointment and reappointment of judges and prosecutors.
Follow the Paper Trail
\"Follow the Paper Trail\", a guide to document-based journalism in Kosovo, explains relevant laws, access to public documents, how to publish safely, where to find databases on investigative journalism, and how to locate documents online through various search engines.
Courts Monitoring Report 2010
A detailed analytical report about the work and administration of the courts in Prishtina, Peja, Prizren, Gjilan, Mitrovica, Ferizaj, Gjakova, Decan, Vushtrri, Poduleva, Lipjan, Klina and Istog. The report contains important information, collected by the network of monitors, placed in the major municipalities of Kosovo and aims to identify the key problems and issues that the justice system in Kosovo is facing.
REPORT: Monitoring the Courts 2009
Monitoring the work and administration of courts in Prishtina, Peja, Mitrovica, Gjilan, Ferizaj, Vushtrri and Skenderaj.
DIRECTLY ELECTED MAYOR SYSTEM IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE
The report on Directly Elected mayor System in Local Governance aims to provide a critical overview of the rationale and feasibility of the implementation of a municipal governance system that places the mayor as the central executive figure, during the third year of its application. The efficiency of this system was assessed based on the following pillars: the relationship between local government bodies, accountability of the municipal executive, respect for the law, the link between the mayor and the citizens, provision of public services (water supply and waste management, capital investments (in school and road projects)), level of transparency, public consultation and citizen participation in decision-making.
BIRN Report on Monitoring the Education System
Report on monitoring the elementary and high schools in Prishtina: Mitrovica, Ferizaj, Peja and Gjilan
Analytical report of the situation and the problems in the University of Prishtina
Report on Kosovo`s Healthcare System
Monitoring report on all primary, secondary and tertiary (University Clinical Center of Kosovo, UCCK) healthcare institutions in Pristina, Prizren, Peja, Mitrovica, Gjilan, Ferizaj, Gjakova, Klina, Decan, Istog and Vushtrri.
Situation and the Problems at the University of Prishtina
Analytical report of research into the standards and problems at the University of Prishtina. Ten years since the end of the war in Kosovo, the University of Prishtina (UP) continues to suffer from a variety of problems, resulting in persistently low quality courses being offered. For this reason, BIRN conducted research into the problems faced by UP students. The data gathered suggests that, out of the many issues reported, the most significant are: the non-implementation of contemporary teaching and assessment methods, the lack of practical work for students, the lack of appropriate academic literature, arbitrary assessments by
professors and generally poor relationships between students and their professors.
Download Here
Buy DVD
Click here to buy a copy of 'Does Anyone Have a Plan?,' BIRN's feature-length documentary on Kosovo's final status.
"Life in Kosovo" debates also available on DVDs now!
Read more
Post Your Comments
Write your comment on BIRN debates and other activities.With the new web-site BIRN looks forward to receive direct opinions from our readers via comment section.
Read more
Balkan Investigative Reporting Network
The opinions expressed in Balkan Insight are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network.
Comments:
No comments have been posted.