First 100 days of Ceku's government spark mixed feedback

19/07/2006

Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku reported to parliament on his first 100 days in office, but opposition politicians boycotted the session over a procedural dispute. Meanwhile, citizens of Pristina weigh in on the Ceku administration.

By Blerta Foniqi for Southeast European Times in Pristina – 19/07/06

Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku [Getty Images]

Kosovo's lawmakers last week heard Prime Minister Agim Ceku's report on the first 100 days of his government. Much of his report focused on the implementation of UN-set standards.

Significant results have been achieved over the past three months, the prime minister said, adding that Kosovo "is very much prepared to face the first stage of the post-status period". His government is working intensively to meet the standards, boost security and political stability, and finalise Kosovo's status, Ceku said.

Opposition parties boycotted the presentation, however, because their proposal to give each member ten minutes for discussion was not approved.

"Each MP should have a chance to speak, or make a comment on Ceku's report, at least ten minutes. For us, two hours for all discussions is very short," said Jakup Krasniqi, the head of the PDK parliamentary group.

According to the prime minister, the boycott meant a lost opportunity to provide important feedback.

"We are not interested in hearing only praise," Ceku said. "It is very important for us to hear their criticism, so we can know where we have failed and where we have had success," he said after the 13 July session.

Citizens in Pristina, meanwhile, have their own suggestions for the Ceku administration. "The prime minister should report every month in the parliament on the government's work…His report should be more specific," says primary school teacher Ibush Jonuzi.

Hairdresser Magbule Kamberi agrees. "The prime minister should disclose not only the successes, but also the failures," she says. "I think that every month not only the prime minister, but also his cabinet, should provide us important information -- especially now, since this is a crucial time for Kosovo."

According to Kamberi, the prime minister also should organise public debates with the citizens of Kosovo. "In these debates, I think that the report on the government's work could be discussed more specifically," she adds.

Others, however, say that Ceku and his cabinet are already acting very transparently. A government needs some degree of privacy to function effectively, says Jetullah Gashi, and cannot be expected to disclose everything.

Some citizens are simply indifferent when it comes to political affairs. "I am not interested to know what happened in the parliament," says Bejtush Xhemajli, who works in a small shop near UNMIK headquarters. "I am a farmer, and I am interested just in my field."