In this text you will be able to read the main developments regarding the activities of political parties on the ninth day of the election campaign for the early parliamentary elections to be held on December 28. About the main promises made by the candidates for prime minister and their accusations against the opposing candidates. The text will be updated throughout the day with the main developments.
Hamza promises economic reforms and increased welfare
The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) candidate for prime minister, Bedri Hamza, promised economic development, infrastructure investments and improved living standards during a rally held with citizens in Ferizaj on Thursday.
He has pledged that one of the main projects he will develop upon coming to power is the connection of the national highway with the "Arbër Xhaferi" highway, with the aim of facilitating traffic and bringing Kosovo even closer to Albania.
"We will connect the national highway with the 'Arbër Xhaferi' highway. The citizens of Ferizaj will no longer need to go to Pristina to travel to Albania, because from Banulla they will exit at Duhël in Suhareka via the new highway," he promised the citizens of Ferizaj.
Hamza has also addressed criticism of the current government, which he has held responsible for misgovernance, lack of stability, and significant increases in the prices of basic products and electricity.
He stated that only PDK offers a clear alternative to get out of this situation.
"Kosovo has not failed, but it has been misgoverned. Prices have increased by up to 40 and 50 percent, electricity has become more expensive, while salaries and pensions have remained almost unchanged. This will change with the PDK government," said Hamza, adding that in his party's program, the focus is placed on supporting businesses.
And for small and medium-sized businesses, the PDK candidate for prime minister has promised fiscal relief through tax exemption for those with a turnover of up to 10 thousand euros. And for those with a turnover of up to 30 thousand euros, he has pledged that the tax will be applied only on real profits.
Hamza has also promised grants and subsidies for manufacturing and innovative businesses, as well as incentives for companies employing over 50 workers. As another promise, he has listed the reform of the value-added tax. He has also promised to stop the increase in property taxes, as well as support for the private sector.
His program includes promises to increase salaries and pensions. He has reiterated his pledge that salaries up to 400 euros will not be subject to tax, and for those above this level, he has promised that lower tax rates will be applied.
In the field of infrastructure, Hamza has pledged that during his government, projects initiated over the years will be completed, including roads to Gjilan, Mitrovica, Peja and Gjakova, as well as that he will make investments in railways and energy.
Hamza has announced investments in the fields of health, education and security, mentioning the creation of health insurance and improving conditions for public sector workers.
Hamza called on citizens in Ferizaj to support PDK in the December 28 elections.
"We offer a clear vision for development, stability and hope. With your vote, we will return Kosovo to the path of development and prosperity," said Hamza.
He also made such a call through a video address, saying that every vote matters and that the responsibility for the country's future is shared.
The PDK candidate for prime minister has called on the electorate to choose stability over uncertainty, unity over division, and work over words on December 28, emphasizing that Kosovo can only move forward as a united nation.
"Together we can move Kosovo forward," Hamza said in a video address, in which he thanked citizens for their commitment and democratic responsibility during the nine days of the campaign for the early parliamentary elections.
Abdixhiku promises 1.5 billion euros in investments for Pristina
The Democratic League (LDK) candidate for prime minister, Lumir Abdixhiku, has promised an investment of 1.5 billion euros for Pristina.
At a rally with Pristina citizens, on the ninth day of the campaign, Abdixhiku pledged that with these investments, the capital will be equipped with an outer ring road, a national sports center, and a technology park over the next four years.
"LDK is not a random party in this city. LDK is the foundation of modern Pristina. It is the spirit that kept this city alive even when there was no state, even when there were no institutions, even when hope seemed distant. Pristina has not been helped in these years - it has been blocked. Projects have been stopped. Investments have been sabotaged. Municipal decisions have been obstructed. The capital has been treated as a political opponent, not as the heart of the state. And this is unacceptable. Pristina is not the property of any government. Pristina belongs to Kosovo," said Abdixhiku.
And at a rally in Lipjan, Abdixhiku said that LDK is the real hope for Kosovo.
"And not because we say so, but because the last four years have clearly shown that without LDK, the state remains without a compass. For four years in a row, Kosovo lost precious time. We lost allies, we lost international trust, we lost institutional stability. Institutions were blocked, laws were violated, the Constitution was relativized. The economy was left to chance, businesses were hit by pressure and uncertainty, while development projects remained on paper. These are not technical mistakes, these are wrong political choices," he emphasized.
Abdixhiku said that during the current government, the work of the public and private sectors has not been adequately appreciated.
"The salary is low compared to the cost of living. Inflation has eaten away at their income. Meanwhile, the state often behaves as a burden, not as a partner. Even small businesses in Lipjan are facing difficulties. Institutional uncertainty, lack of support and constant pressure have made investments and expansion more difficult," Abdixhiku declared.
He said that it is the LDK that brings an alternative with vision, a viable program, and social sensitivity, placing the family at the center of state policies.
"Without a strong family, there is no strong state. Without a stable family, there is no long-term development. For the LDK, the family is not simply a social category. The family is the greatest national asset that Kosovo has. It is the place where life is born, where character is formed, where language, tradition, morality and a sense of belonging are preserved," he emphasized.
The LDK candidate for prime minister has also criticized pensions for the elderly.
"Prices have increased, but pensions have remained the same. Many of them depend on child support, many others live with daily worries. This is not dignified old age. This is social injustice," Abdixhiku emphasized.
He has also expressed criticism about the departure of young people from Kosovo.
"The young people of Lipjan are full of energy, knowledge and ambition. But today, what stands in front of them is not the state that supports them, but uncertainty. A diploma does not guarantee a job. Opportunities are few. Many young people are leaving, not because they do not love Kosovo, but because they feel abandoned by it. And every young person who leaves is a loss for Lipjan and for the country," Abdixhiku emphasized.
And at a rally with LDK supporters in Shtime, Abdixhiku said that Kosovo should seriously and directly invest in the family, which he described as a great national asset.
"Therefore, we have made a clear political and moral decision: Kosovo must invest in the family, seriously and directly. Not with words, not with temporary projects, but with sustainable state policies. Because the family is not a burden on the budget; the family is an investment in the future of the country," he said.
Abdixhiku emphasized that LDK's promises regarding investments in families are concrete, measurable and implementable.
Haradinaj: A vote for AAK is a vote for cheaper electricity
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) candidate for prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj, repeated on Thursday his promise to increase electricity production capacities if he takes power after the December 28 elections.
On the ninth day of the election campaign, Haradinaj, through a video address published on Facebook, said that during his mandate as prime minister, two energy production projects have been launched, one with coal and the other with gas.
"We must produce energy in Kosovo. I have started two projects for energy production in Kosovo: with coal and a gas pipeline. Both of these projects were discontinued and today we depend on the market and energy prices depend on traders. Please, with the number 129, so the vote for the number 129 returns energy production to Kosovo and returns prices to Kosovo, not to traders," Haradinaj said in a video address.
He stressed that these projects were discontinued after his departure from power, affecting the increase in energy prices. In this video, Haradinaj added that, just as the army was formed, energy production projects will also be restored with his mandate. He said that the vote for number 129, which represents AAK in these elections, means cheaper energy for citizens.
"How much is your energy bill today? How much is it costing our economy? To lower the price of energy, vote 129. It is in your hands, with your vote you return energy production to Kosovo. Just as we have done other things in the past: energy independence, Trepça, the army, we will also return energy production to Kosovo," he declared.
And in another video address by the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, citizens were called upon to vote for number 129, as a vote for AAK means Kosovo's membership in the North Atlantic Alliance, the return of citizens to the country, and dignified wages for all.
Haradinaj also met with singer Afrim Muqiqi on Thursday, to whom he presented a certificate of gratitude for "everything he represents and brings through his art."
The AAK held its central election rally in Rahovec on Thursday. In front of the citizens gathered at the "Mensur Zyberaj" cultural center, Haradinaj promised to improve living conditions.
"Today, at the 'Mensur Zyberaj' cultural house in Rahovec, we held a meeting, which became a promise among people who believe that life in Kosovo can improve. There we presented our vision and plan, clearly focusing on each of the four main pillars on which we will build the future. Rahovec showed us that it knows how to maintain dignity and stand up when the time is right, and we are showing them that when we have each other by our side, nothing can stop the way forward," Haradinaj wrote on Facebook after the rally in Rahovec.
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo's "By Your Side" program foresees several measures in the energy sector, including the construction of a new thermal power plant with a production capacity of up to 500 MW; construction of a gas network; efficient energy, which offers a continuous, stabilized supply and at an affordable price; reducing the VAT on electricity to 6% for household users, as well as reforming the methods of determining unit tariffs.
In the AAK program, electricity at a reduced rate is also provided for the families of martyrs, invalids and veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) war, as well as poor and low-income families.
It also states that AAK's goal is for Kosovo to transform from being an importer of electricity to an exporter of it.
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo in the previous parliamentary elections, which were held on February 9 of this year, received 9 percent of the vote. In these elections, AAK was in coalition with the Social Democratic INITIATIVE, which is led by Fatmir Limaj. For the early parliamentary elections on December 28, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo is competing alone.
Kurti promises three railways, five dams and 10-euro monthly tickets for public transport
The Self-Determination Movement (LVV) candidate for prime minister, Albin Kurti, has made a commitment to build three railways, five dams, and coal gasification on the ninth day of the campaign for the December 28 elections.
At the rally in Gjilan, Kurti promised that the center of Anamorava will also be connected by rail.
"The next mandate will also be a mandate for railways. The railway that connects Pristina's international airport 'Adem Jashari' with the capital, the railway that connects Pristina, namely the dry port of Pristina with the new port of Durres, and also the railway that connects Gjilan on one side with Bujanovac and on the other with Ferizaj and Prizren", Kurti promised to the citizens in Gjilan.
For travel on public transport buses, the LVV candidate for prime minister has promised an integrated ticket.
"We will also have an integrated public transport ticket, everywhere, where urban and interurban traffic enables every citizen of the republic to travel for only 10 euros per month anywhere in Kosovo," he pledged.
Kurti also said that in his future government, the state will take care of children, women and the elderly.
"A family with two children receives 60 euros per month, a family with three children receives 135 euros per month, three children each receive 45 euros, and we will double these in the next mandate. So, those who have three or more children receive 90 euros for each child. So, they receive 270 euros for three children, 360 euros for four children, 450 euros for five children. So, the more children, the more the state helps mothers," he said.
For the December 28 elections, Kurti has requested support for LVV so that it receives at least half of the votes.
"It is very difficult to defeat this opposition, but you can do it on December 28, with Vetëvendosje, Guxo, Alternativa and PSHDK winning over 50%," he said.
Kurti also listed the work that his government has accomplished during its more than four years in office.
"In the four years and nine months that I have been prime minister, 74 such kindergartens have been built in Kosovo. And those before us, in 17 years only four kindergartens, which is not even one kindergarten per mandate. They not even one kindergarten per mandate and we 74 kindergartens in four years and nine months, so when you compare it, dear citizens, we are 66 times faster than them when it comes to building kindergartens," he said.
As another work done during his mandate, Kurti has counted the increase in the financial turnover of private businesses.
"Compared to the pre-pandemic year 2019, there has been a doubling of business turnover in the private sector - from 12.5 billion in 2019, 25 billion this year. And the doubled turnover of businesses in Kosovo has also marked higher profits than ever before, so it has been not only turnover but also accumulation," he stated.
Kurti also spoke about investments in the military, drawing comparisons with Serbia's armaments.
"It is time for modern weapons systems, not tanks. I know that Serbia has tanks, but believe me, we don't need tanks, but with the anti-tank system that we have, Serbia doesn't need them either," Kurti said.
He also had promises in the field of energy.
"At the same time, we will also undertake the coal gasification project, so that we have abundant and as clean energy as possible. The problems with electricity supply, dear citizens, have nothing to do with generation, they have nothing to do with KEK, but with the distribution and transmission operators," Kurti pledged.
The LVV candidate for prime minister has also promised to build five dams to respond to Kosovo's relief.
"The next mandate will be a mandate for five new dams. Because our beloved Kosovo is like an upside-down plate where rivers originate, but quickly flow out into three seas: the Adriatic, the Black and the Aegean. Now we need to collect the water with water reservoirs, with dams," he promised.
Kurti: With our anti-tank system, Serbia doesn't need tanks
The leader of the Vetëvendosje Movement, Albin Kurti, during the campaign for the December 28 elections, while speaking about the issue of security, said that it is time for modern weapons systems and not tanks.
In this case, he spoke about Serbia, which, according to him, will not need tanks, considering the anti-tank systems that Kosovo has.
"It's time for modern weapons systems, not tanks. I know Serbia has tanks, but believe me, we don't need tanks, but with the anti-tank system we have, Serbia doesn't need them either," he said at the rally in Gjilan.
There, Kurti has sought more than 50 percent of the votes in the December 28 elections. He has said that only this "can completely fall to the opposition," which he has accused of the blockade this year.
"It is very difficult to defeat this opposition, but you can do it on December 28th by winning Vetëvendosje, Guxo, Alternativa and PSHDK over 50%," Kurti said.
He has been praised for increasing business turnover, for child benefits, for which he has promised to double the value, and for building nurseries.
Kurti has promised that if he wins on December 28, five new dams will be built in the next mandate.
He has also promised an integrated public transport ticket across the board "where urban and inter-urban traffic enables every citizen of the Republic to travel for only 10 euros per month anywhere in Kosovo."
Kurti has also promised the gasification project, saying that the current energy problems have nothing to do with KEK, but with the distribution operators.
According to Kurti, "the next mandate will also be a mandate for railways."
"The railway connecting the Pristina International Airport "Adem Jashari" with the capital, the railway connecting Pristina, namely the dry port of Pristina with the new port of Durres, and also the railway connecting Gjilan on one side with Bujanovac and on the other with Ferizaj and Prizren," he said.
Hamza promises grants of up to 30% of the investment value for new and emerging businesses
PDK's prime ministerial candidate, Bedri Hamza, has promised concrete support for businesses. He said that there is no development of the state without the private sector, while pledging grants of up to 30% of the investment value for new and developing businesses.
"There is no development of the state without a successful private sector. As prime minister, I will ensure that support for businesses is large and concrete. VAT is no longer paid at the border. It will be paid within the country after the product is sold, removing a heavy financial burden for businesses. We will provide investment grants of up to 30% of the investment value for new and developing businesses," said Hamza.
The PDK prime ministerial candidate has also promised to reduce energy prices by building new energy capacities. Hamza also pledged to invest in road and railway infrastructure and legalize illegal construction.
"We will build new energy capacities to reduce the price of energy for citizens and businesses. We will invest heavily in road and rail infrastructure to facilitate the transport of people and goods, inside and outside Kosovo. We will legalize illegal construction, freeing up billions of euros of free capital and giving value to citizens' property," said Hamza in a video published on his social network Facebook.