PDK’s Mustafa: Specialist Chambers bill must not become part of political horse-trading over the presidency

PDK MP Arben Mustafa says the Assembly should complete its constitution immediately and then consider the bill on the Specialist Chambers under an expedited procedure. On the “Përballje Podcast” at Telegrafi.com, he demanded that support for this initiative not be conditioned on the deal for electing the President.

The Democratic Party of Kosovo has initiated in the Assembly the bill amending and supplementing the Law on the Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office. According to Mustafa, the first step after the Constitutional Court’s decision is completing the Assembly’s constitution, including the election of the deputy speaker proposed by PDK, Vlora Çitaku, and the formation of parliamentary committees, Telegrafi writes.

“The next step is the full constitution of the Assembly of Kosovo, and this must happen as soon as possible,” said Mustafa. He estimated the matter could be concluded within a day and demanded that, immediately after, the bill on the Specialist Chambers be placed on the agenda under an expedited procedure.

Mustafa said the bill is PDK’s main topic at this moment. Asked whether voting on it could be linked to negotiations over the President, he demanded the two issues be treated separately.

“This law is not for PDK. This law is for Kosovo, for Kosovo’s freedom, for the state of Kosovo,” he declared. According to Mustafa, parties should not treat the initiative as an opportunity to demand something in exchange for their vote.

“This is something that transcends political parties,” the PDK MP said, adding that the bill “must not become part of any other political bargain,” he said, Telegrafi reports.

He said the Alliance has publicly declared its support for the bill, while PDK expects other political entities to state their position on it as well.

What does PDK’s initiative envisage?

Mustafa clarified that his party’s proposal does not aim to dismantle the Specialist Chambers. According to him, the goal is to limit their mandate to matters linked to the findings of the Dick Marty report, while other wartime crime claims would be handled by Kosovo’s justice system.

“We are not seeking the closure of any case, of any investigation,” he said. Mustafa added that, under PDK’s proposal, the appeals process would continue within the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, while the third instance of trial would move into the framework of Kosovo’s institutions.

The PDK MP said the initiative also demands more transparency in the judicial process. He mentioned the possibility of institutions, universities and international organizations monitoring the process in The Hague. These are the demands Mustafa attributes to PDK’s bill; their content and implementation will depend on the Assembly’s review and vote.

PDK’s Arben Mustafa on the ‘Përballje Podcast’ with Telegrafi editor-in-chief Muhamet Hajrullahu.

President until October 6

Regarding the election of the President, Mustafa said the Assembly has time until October 6 to find a solution. He acknowledged that the parties have been late in this process and said he does not want the country to go to elections again because of the inability to form the institutions.

According to him, an agreement on the President cannot be reached without the Vetëvendosje Movement. However, Mustafa said PDK was not part of the discussions on this post.

“At the moment, the Democratic Party of Kosovo is not part of any discussion process on the President. Our only process at this time is the bill on the Specialist Chambers,” Mustafa declared.

He added that PDK will respond to initiatives or discussions that may arise to find a solution. Until then, according to him, the Assembly must become functional and the bill on the Specialist Chambers must be voted on without being drawn into the negotiations over the President. /Telegrafi/