A week after receiving a vote of confidence in the LDK Assembly, Lumir Abdixhiku is being criticized by the former leader of this party, Isa Mustafa.

According to the honorary chairman of the LDK, if the voice of the citizens had been heard in the last elections, Abdixhiku would not have had to remain at the head of the party.

He says that Abdixhiku's commitment to leading the LDK has not brought results, as he received only 13 percent of the vote in the last elections.

Mustafa, in an interview with KosovaPress, says that the current debate within the party should not focus on the personal figure of Lumir Abdixhiku, but on the leadership model that LDK needs to restore citizens' trust and improve election results.

The former LDK leader emphasizes that the standard of resignation for poor results had already been set and that ignoring this standard damages the party's credibility.

"I know Abdixhiku well because I've known him since he was a student. Abdixhiku is a good worker. He is a diligent worker, he was a diligent student. I've been told that he has also worked in the field in the LDK. It's not that he hasn't worked. But the problem is how much of your work does work. How much of your activity is then expressed in the party's results.

"That issue should have been assessed by Abdixhiku himself and by the LDK bodies. For me, it is below any level that I am now saying that he should have gone, because in no case... But if he returns to where he was, where he took it, that is, he should sit down and analyze why, and analyze himself to see what he can do," says Mustafa.

He recalled that after the 2021 elections, where the LDK dropped to around 13 percent and Abdixhiku took over as chairman, he declared that the party had "correctly read the voice of the citizen" and not the voice of the Assembly.

According to him, the LDK Assembly, having a poor electoral result, should analyze and evaluate better the next steps.

"He said that after the LDK results in 2021, where we fell by about 13%, the LDK read the voice of the citizen correctly. He did not say he read the voice of the Assembly correctly, but the voice of the citizen and then I and my associates understood that changes needed to be made... I cannot say here that he should have resigned or not, but he should have measured his words before speaking, slept a night, rested a little, consulted with his associates...

"I think that the Assembly should also deal with the result, not with Abdixhiku. That is, deal with the LDK result, assess whether that result is the one it needs and the one that is right for the Democratic League of Kosovo, with which the Democratic League of Kosovo can serve the changes in Kosovo," he adds.

He also brought to attention his personal example, recalling that he had resigned immediately after the election result was below 13 percent, without waiting for decisions from party bodies.

"For myself, the moment I had the result, it was less than 13 percent, that day, not the next day, but I gave in, no I didn't offer, but I resigned. I informed the members of the leadership that I am ending my mandate in the LDK and I am ending my mandate in all LDK bodies, including the Assembly...

The vote of confidence must be linked to the mood on the ground, to the voice of the citizens. Because the vote of confidence is not a matter of the relationship between the LDK leader and the LDK Assembly... But now, if the voice of the citizens has come to the point of returning the LDK to 13%, where it was, then this has deserved a different approach from the Assembly, so that the Assembly can reflect, not on whether or not to dismiss Mr. Abdixhiku, but on what needs to be done later, how the LDK should act in order to improve the result...

"When I resigned, I resigned because of the result, not because the LDK bodies liked me or didn't like me, because if you went to the LDK bodies, a completely different stance would emerge," he declares.

However, Mustafa denies that he worked behind the scenes to oust Abdixhiku from the LDK leadership.

"I did not lead the elections. I was not in the campaign, I was not in any LDK forum. I had no motive to get involved in that, because I had no motive. I am now at the Academy of Sciences, in no way did I think that I would stay in LDK. I had not resigned from all LDK positions. But it was a good package of lies to be sold as the truth," Mustafa declares.

He appreciates Avdullah Hoti's ambition and announcement of his candidacy for LDK chairman, although after Abdixhiku's vote of no confidence passed, there was no competition for the LDK chairmanship.

According to him, the debate about new and old figures in LDK is useless. While mentioning the names of Hoti and Hykmete Bajrami as non-old cadres in LDK, Mustafa says that the reform in this party has not been hindered by the same ones.

"In LDK we don't have old and new. Abdullah Hoti is not old. Abdullah Hoti is a new cadre. Hykmete Bajrami is not old. She is a cadre, not even new, but she is a cadre that can potentially contribute better to Kosovo than the LDK. Kujtim Shala is also a wonderful writer, he is an academic, a member of the Academy of Sciences and no one is allowed there in some studios to say that Kujtim should also be expelled from the LDK.

Gazmend Muhaxheri is also mentioned, I heard it. In the end they say that Gazi should go too. Now, if I take these people and treat them because I know them, I know them very well, I have worked with them since 2009, then who are the ones who have opposed Vetëvendosje?

Agim Veliu was the one who opposed Vetëvendosje... Now, if these others are also criticized, who has opposed them during this period? Hykmetje did. Hykmetje Bajrami was the main voice of the LDK opposition against Vetëvendosje, and against the government. I am talking about those who are being criticized and who say that they are hindering reforms. Reform cannot be hindered if the position is criticized, if consistent remarks are made; no one can deny them," says Mustafa.

In addition, one of Isa Mustafa's most fundamental criticisms of the current LDK leadership is related to the party's ideological orientation.

According to him, there is an identity crisis in the LDK and a slide to the left and imitation of the Vetëvendosje Movement.

He said that the LDK in the December 28 election campaign has lost its identity as a center-right party by trying to compete with Vetëvendosje on the terrain of social populism.

"I hear everyone coming out and saying 'We are Rugovista, we are right-wing'. First of all, we must be clear that LDK is not a right-wing party. LDK is a center-right party. A right-wing party is quite different from a center-right party...

In addition to these, no one is allowed to come out and leave the impression of saying 'I am Rugovist', when you see him when he comes out and talks about issues, he talks about social assistance, he talks about Albin Kurti will increase the minimum wage to 500 euros, we will increase it to 700.

And then you're not, you're neither right-wing nor center-right, you're developing left-wing policies.

So in this aspect... The campaign that was done by the LDK was done as an auction, as if they were in an auction, with the VV. Because the VV said something, made a social offer of its own, the LDK tried to do a little above that, the PDK even higher. That is, the entire opposition imitated Albin Kurti", concludes Mustafa.

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