Prioritizing work

In an environment led by one party, with a super-charismatic leader, but not a good head of government, with a group of people who do not demonstrate professional skills to lead departments with the aim of improving living conditions; with opponents, parties that were until yesterday in the opposition with super-anti-charismatic leaders and with absolutely no other ideas beyond imitating what someone said first - you can't help but be sad about the present, and even the future.

Almost halfway through the year, and we're still spinning the same theme - elections.

The campaign started the day before yesterday – and it's no surprise that it continued the same way as last time six months ago – we were bombarded with promises of salary increases, pensions, tax cuts and I don't know what else.

It all seems like a bad dream that I've already seen. It all sounds like a broken gramophone, a stale cacophony, and an ever deeper fading of hope that we'll have learned at least something about these last 30 years.

In an environment led by one party, with a super-charismatic leader, but not a good head of government, with a group of people who do not demonstrate professional skills to lead departments with the aim of improving living conditions; with opponents, parties that were until yesterday in the opposition with super-anti-charismatic leaders and with absolutely no other ideas beyond imitating what someone said first - you can't help but be sad about the present, and even the future.

* * *

Two weeks ago, the "World Atlas" report was released, compiled based on Fund data.

International Monetary Fund, according to which Kosovo was the second poorest country in Europe, next to Moldova.

Under normal conditions, this should be an alarm signal.

In the case of Kosovo, and especially of the main interpreter of the Constitution, Murat, such a result is good news, because we are no longer the last, but the penultimate.

And probably, for this news, fireworks should be lit, because "we have achieved a lot, we are ranking better and better," or something like that is the wording of the acting minister.

It reminds me a lot of the time when, ten years ago or more, progress reports were published, and every time they turned out to be bad, with very specific remarks about things that needed to be changed, because change only requires political will, the government at the time would say: "this is a real report," and then do nothing to make the change.

Now the answer is: “We are poor, we have only been poorer.” It has nothing to do with the fact that we cannot overcome the definition of being poor and that we live a life that we could have had much better.

This is like the Olympics, when you come out (penultimate): "participation is what matters."

But what can we do when life is not a sport and solving a society's problems is not a matter of physical strength, but of the mind.

* * *

So, in the wake of populist declarations and actions, there is also the one from last week called "measures to deal with inflation"... something like this. And according to the decision, currently only private sector workers with salaries under 1000 euros are suffering from inflation; students; mothers; pensioners. Those others who suffered from inflation last month have been made comfortable with an extra salary, despite having salaries over 1000 euros. But the inflation they have to deal with is twice as high.

The spree of distributing cash in exchange for votes cost the Kosovo budget some 105 million (if I'm not mistaken, the whole package has some 200 million allocated, but I don't know which group will be selected next time...). Meanwhile, due to the all-people antics in the direction of all the angry political parties of Kosovo, which lead us to elections every time someone's desire for a little power is not satisfied, Kosovo loses 90 million from EU funds. This is because there is no theoretical chance that the ratification for these funds will be completed before June 30. We already know that counting votes in Kosovo takes a minimum of three or four weeks (thankfully we are not as big as India, because we had spent the whole year counting)...

So, a country that loses 90 million and then distributes another 100 million that will surely end up in imported goods, or even be exported to Albania or Macedonia - is poor, and not just materially.

To top it all off, a few days ago, another 2 million were allocated to subsidize airlines that bring passengers to Pristina airport, due to the increase in fuel prices.

I don't remember hearing that farmers have been subsidized with oil for working in the fields since the prices skyrocketed. Well, it's a matter of priorities: first the votes, then the potatoes and tomatoes.

* * *

So, the rallies with citizens began.

I honestly don't know if those who gather there go spontaneously, or if someone brings them there by transport or for a fee.

Why would anyone need to go to a square or a sports hall to see the same faces, and hear the same speeches, the same promises, the same lies?

I'm not clear on what new things they're going to say that they didn't say six months ago - it all comes down to money - salaries, pensions (i.e. budget cash), energy (there's no one left, regardless of political party, who hasn't opened a company to trade in electricity), unspecified capital investments... maybe even some kind of rocket... although we haven't heard the latter yet.

And yet, the halls are full, or beautifully camouflaged to appear full.

Those who do not hold rallies, because they have a minimum membership and a minimum number of candidates for central elections, are the PSD. Finally, they are the most energetic in terms of the campaign they are doing on the networks, and they are not dealing with the VV, of which they are a faction, but are dealing with the LDK, the PDK and Osmani.

And yes, they are direct in their criticism of the opposition. And yes, they are very often right. And that is why now this same opposition refuses to engage in debates with PSD representatives. And refusing to confront anyone shows weakness – that even arrogance is weakness. It becomes super-weakness when it boomerangs with fewer votes.

I don't know how many votes the PSD candidates will be able to collect. But I do know that they are conveying a message that should be taken seriously: Kosovo needs changes (the PSD doesn't necessarily qualify here) both in people and in ideas.

* * *

For many years, political faces have changed little. For many years, nothing more creative has been heard than "we will increase salaries" (of the public sector, of course). For many years, no solutions have been given to systemic problems, because there is neither will nor knowledge.

That if there was a will, knowledge would be found.

For six years, we have witnessed a sui generis political war in Kosovo.

A party that calls itself a movement was built and strengthened over years, but when it came to power it missed the opportunity, just as it continues to miss it, to bring about change and true economic development.

With his approach, he is stifling the middle class and contributing to the creation of a class of parasites uninterested in anything in life.   

On the other hand, there are the opposition parties, which once held power and abused it to the extreme. That's why they lost power. They also lost creativity. They lost ideas.

Now they are reduced to mere weak copycats and formations that are highly likely to further factions.

The people continue to be spectators.

That continues to come up in elections.

Who still hasn't understood who should be punished first for being who we are.

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