Albanian opposition leader hints at pre-election coalition with LDK

He hinted at a possible coalition with the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), without explicitly naming the party. "The coalition of the real opposition (is a chance) to become tomorrow's good government".

Kurti said such a coalition could win 70 out of 120 parliamentary seats.

In the last parliamentary elections in 2007, the party, founded and led by Ibrahim Rugova until his death in 2006, won 22.6 percent or 25 seats but formed a coalition government with the current President Hashim Thaci’s Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), only to withdraw from the partnership in 2010.

The LDK has always favoured Kosovo’s independence and organised the 1992 referendum on secession from Serbia, securing over 80 percent of the Kosovo Albanians’ support.

The Vetëvendosje is the firmest and continuous critic of the Kosovo Government and favours a referendum on union with Albania. The Movement runs the municipal government of Prizren and is in coalition with LDK in the town of Vucitrn.

It also used to run Pristina and the municipality of Kamenica, but shortly after the elections, both mayors left Vetëvendosje to join PDK.

On Tuesday, Kurti said that “since the Assembly will be dissolved on August 22, the early elections are due on September 22 or 29, or on October 6. Our victory generates hope in the hearts of the citizens. They want the country free of crisis and failures,” he said.

Kurti declared the Self-Determination “must and will win.”

“But this time it is possible to win even before the elections”, he said, adding that “a small post-election partner would be more than enough for a two-thirds majority in the parliament and a simple government majority, ”Kurti said.

He added that “ we can win without a battle… huge battles will follow the victory. We must immediately start fighting crime and corruption. No more immigration, but employment without discrimination.”