KOSOVO: DACI CONVENES "DEMOCRATIC LEAGUE OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000141 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR DRL, INL, AND EUR/SCE, NSC FOR BRAUN, USUN FOR DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2017 TAGS: PGOV KDEM UNMIK YI SUBJECT: KOSOVO: DACI CONVENES "DEMOCRATIC LEAGUE OF DARDANIA" REF: PRISTINA 29 PRISTINA 00000141 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: COM TINA KAIDANOW FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The break-away faction of the ruling Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) held its first political convention on February 17, endorsing ex-Assembly Speaker Nexhat Daci as its leader and approving his hand-picked slate of deputy presidents. The party chose the name "Democratic League of Dardania" (LDD). The new group has not applied to register with the OSCE, but has already secured enough members in the Kosovo Assembly to form its own caucus. There was little outside participation at the convention, and the group's reception among the populace has been tepid, despite attempts to portray itself as heir to the mantle of the late President Rugova. USOP and USKFOR are helping manage the tensions that remain between LDD and LDK officials in the municipal governments in eastern Kosovo, USKFOR's area of responsibility and the area of greatest LDD support. END SUMMARY. DACI FORMS HIS NEW PARTY ¶2. (SBU) On February 17, ex-Assembly Speaker Nexhat Daci and a core group of MPs and municipal leaders who defected with him from the ruling Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) held a convention to formally adopt its new name -- the Democratic League of Dardania (LDD) -- and elect its leadership. (NOTE: The reference to 'Dardania' is one of the group's continuing attempts to cast itself as the true successor to the LDK of the late President Ibrahim Rugova, who had promoted use of his Dardania flag as a future flag for an independent Kosovo. END NOTE.) ¶3. (C) A total of 463 delegates from both Kosovo and diaspora branches attended the convention, though diaspora delegates dominated the speeches. The delegates approved a party platform and slate of officials, hand-picked by Daci, by acclamation rather than by secret ballot. There were no serious challenges. Five members of the 25-member presidency are deputy presidents: Besa Gaxherri, an MP from Peja and long-standing LDK activist; Adem Salihaj, removed as Deputy Prime Minister when Daci was removed as Assembly Speaker and currently holding the post of LDD-Ferizaj leader; Xhemajl Hyseni, mayor of Gjilan; and Berim Ramosaj, economic advisor to the late President Rugova. MP Lulzim Zeneli, a former LDK spokesman and youth leader, was chosen as General Secretary. Delegates later approved a 115-member General Council on February 18. ¶4. (SBU) Surprisingly, many who abandoned the LDK after being left out of party power structures fared no better in the LDD. These included Naser Rugova, the late President Rugova's cousin; Sejd Tolaj, who for a while had manipulated the LDK Youth Forum into Daci,s corner; Fadil and Gani Geci, who along with their band of brothers sparked the brawl at the LDK convention in December; and Pristina Deputy Mayor Shefki Gashi, who delivered Daci his only LDK-Pristina branch support. There were no untoward displays of dissent at the convention, but recent media reports indicate early dissatisfaction with Daci's "autocratic" leadership style. COOL RECEPTION FOR LDD, BUT STRENGTH IN MUNICIPALITIES ¶5. (C) LDD has received a cool reception. Unlike the broad showing at the LDK convention, few observers attended the LDD event. After Daci told journalists he hoped the "two brothers" ) LDD and LDK ) could cordially divide LDK branch office properties, LDK acting President Eqrem Kryeziu made clear that coalition junior partner Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) party, not LDD, is its "little brother." Among diplomatic offices, to our knowledge only the German Head of Office has visited Daci since LDD's formation. ¶6. (C) USKFOR's strong presence has helped keep at a low simmer LDD-LDK turf battles in southeastern Kosovo municipalities, the U.S. military's area of operation. In Gjilan, the only municipality with an openly Daci-supporting PRISTINA 00000141 002.2 OF 002 mayor, a January explosion outside the offices may have been related to a dispute over the disposition of LDK office space. USKFOR sharply condemned the explosion and pledged to take rigorous steps to curb such violence, including a Gjilan curfew if necessary. At USKFOR prodding, mayor Hyseni and LDK-Gjilan leader/deputy mayor Lirije Kajtazi appeared together on a local radio show to discuss security and final status. Although Hyseni and Kajtazi continue to vie for the support of Gjilan's LDK sub-branches, there have been no similar security incidents. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: With at least six votes in the Assembly, the LDD may yet cause trouble for the ruling coalition. As its hold on branch leader positions in three key municipalities indicates, LDD also has some popular support. However, it is and likely will remain a vehicle for Daci's personal ambitions, one that is run in accordance with his worst traits as a politician. We are confident that our and USKFOR's attention to LDD-LDK dynamics will continue to keep intra-municipal friction manageable. END COMMENT. ¶8. (SBU) U.S. Office Pristina clears this cable in its entirety for release to U.N. Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari. KAIDANOW