Memli Krasniqi has been elected the new chairman of the Democratic Party of Kosovo. Krasniqi was elected to this position by a majority vote of the delegates participating in the party’s Electoral Convention.
476 delegates took part in the voting. Only 7 votes were against.
In his first statement after taking the position of chairman, Krasniqi said that he will lead the way paved by former presidents Hashim Thaçi and Kadri Veseli at the head of PDK.
Krasniqi said that he will cooperate with every member and citizen who wants to join PDK.
“Along the way for the return of PDK to where it belongs in the leadership of the state, we will undoubtedly have many challenges. No doubt we will have many obstacles and I am absolutely sure it will not be easy at all but I know the spirit of our common party. I know the will that comes from each of you here and comes from those tens of thousands of members of our party. “Based on this inexhaustible energy, I am sure that together we will succeed”, declared Krasniqi.
During the Convention, Krasniqi presented the platform he intends to implement during his term as chairman of the PDK. In the presentation of the platform, Krasniqi said that he intends to return the PDK to the first place and to govern the country.
“We are in opposition today. It has also been our mistakes that have contributed to this situation. We may not have been able to read the mood of the voters quite accurately, so even in the last two elections we did not get enough support from them. Reflection is necessary. We can not continue the same. At this point, I believe we all agree. As we are today, it is not enough to come back. “But we intend to return,” said Krasniqi.
Krasniqi said that the main battle of PDK is in the Assembly of Kosovo, inviting the deputies of this political entity to engage as much as possible in their work in this institution.
He said that he will form a new chairman with young men and women as well as people who have grown up in the Democratic Party of Kosovo. Among other things, Krasniqi has announced the formation of a cabinet for Good Governance, in order to shape the vision for a future government.
Krasniqi said that PDK should return the support of the youth.
Memli Krasniqi was the only candidate in this race as no other PDK member submitted his candidacy for president of this political entity.
In the race for chairman of PDK was expected to be Enver Hoxhaj, who for eight months was acting chairman of this political entity.
However, shortly before the end of the deadline for submitting candidacies, Hoxhaj announced that he would not run for mayor.
At the opening of the Convention, Hoxhaj said that many expected him to run for PDK leader, but according to him, the PDK needs a reform and a new leader.
“From this Convention we expect to further strengthen our identity as a state-building party, but also as a right-wing party. “Let us come out with clear and quick positions to protect democracy, freedom, market economy and freedom of expression”, declared Hoxhaj.
Hoxhaj said that this party convention was taking place in abnormal circumstances as for the first time the former chairman, Kadri Veseli and the former president, Hashim Thaçi, are missing.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo was left without a chairman on November 5, 2020, when Kadri Veseli resigned as party leader after the Kosovo Specialized Chambers confirmed his indictment for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Veseli has been in custody in The Hague since then.
For almost 17 years, the PDK was led by former President Hashim Thaçi, who is also in custody in The Hague following the confirmation of the indictment for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Who is Memli Krasniqi?
Memli Krasniqi completed his studies in Political Science and Public Administration at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Prishtina and also completed a master’s degree in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
Before entering politics, Memli Krasniqi was known mainly for his career in music within the music group “Rhythm of the Street”.
In 2004 he became an active member of the Democratic Party of Kosovo.
Since then Memli Krasniqi led the Department of Youth in PDK, was part of the leading structures of the party as a member of the presidency and vice president and was also elected in several terms as a member of the Assembly of Kosovo.
In 2011 he was appointed Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.
While in 2014, Krasniqi again took an important position in the executive, that of Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development.
In the last parliamentary elections, Krasniqi was re-elected member of the Assembly of Kosovo.
