KOSOVO: DACI AND HIS SUPPORTERS CREATE A

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000029

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (CORRECTING MARKING PARA 3)

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DRL, INL, AND EUR/SCE, NSC FOR BRAUN, USUN FOR
DREW SCHUFLETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KDEM KCRM KJUS UNMIK YI
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: DACI AND HIS SUPPORTERS CREATE A
"DEMOCRATIC LEAGUE" OF THEIR OWN


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1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Former Kosovo Assembly president Nexhat
Daci and his supporters announced January 12 the creation of
a new political "entity" called the Democratic League (LD).
Daci told reporters the Democratic League will be "a
continuation of the party created and run by former President
Ibrahim Rugova." The group claims to have the support of
half of the LDK electorate and announced it will form a new
caucus in the Kosovo Assembly. While it is doubtful it would
join with the opposition to secure the needed votes to
overthrow the government, the new caucus could deny the
government the 61-person quorum necessary for Assembly votes.
A Daci-led caucus could complicate Assembly adoption of the
enabling legislation that will be required by the final
status package. The group could also cause problems in some
local assemblies, where the LDK has narrow majorities. END
SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Former Kosovo Assembly president Nexhat Daci and
his supporters held the initial meeting of their new
political entity on January 12 in Pristina. The group calls
itself the "Democratic League" and will have its headquarters
in the Velania section of central Pristina. After its
founding meeting, Daci told reporters the Democratic League
will be "a continuation of the party created and run by
former President Ibrahim Rugova." The group will hold its
first electoral convention on February 17, at which 501
delegates will elect its president, as well as 101 members of
a Steering Council and 25 members of a Presidency. At
today's meeting the group established three committees that
will prepare for the convention. The move ends weeks of
speculation about Daci's next steps after losing the party
leadership election to President Fatmir Sejdiu. According to
press reports, the Women's Forum of the LDK led by Minister
of Public Services Melihate Termkolli will not join Daci's
Democratic League, but Sejd Tolaj, the head of the LDK Youth
Forum announced that he and an unspecified number of others
from the youth forum will. According to press reports, after
Tolaj's statement, representatives of 31 of 36 LDK Youth
League branches declared their continued support for Sejdiu.


3. (SBU) The current governing coalition has 68 seats in the
Kosovo Assembly (including the Daci camp); 61 are required
for a simple majority and a decision-making quorum within the
120-member Kosovo Assembly. At today's meeting, five other
MPs joined Daci, so it appears he has the six MPs required
under OSCE rules to establish a caucus within the Assembly.
These defectors probably will not be able to bring down the
government since a vote of no-confidence also requires enough
votes to select a new prime minister and cabinet, as well as
the approval of the incumbent President (Sejdiu). However,
the new caucus could join with the opposition to add to the
government's recent difficulties in forming the Assembly
quorum.


4. (SBU) At the December 9, 2006 convention, Daci lost the
race to the current Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu, by the
surprisingly narrow vote of 189 to 160. His troubles
magnified when Sejdiu presented his list of names for the
party Steering Council, containing very few individuals from
the Daci camp. After a brawl instigated by Daci supporter
Gani Geci, the convention re-convened and approved a list of
107 Steering Council members, including only a handful
belonging to the Daci camp.


5. (SBU) The LDK division could also be reflected in the
composition of some Municipal Assemblies, where LDK has a
narrow majority. The Gjilan Municipal Assembly is already
facing such difficulties, although Gjilan mayor Xhemajl
Hyseni, a strong Daci supporter, has not managed to gather
the needed quorum for a session. Seven Sejdiu supporters in
the Gjilan municipal assembly have joined the opposition in
refusing to take part in a session in which Hyseni intends to
extend the contract of the current CEO, also a Daci
supporter. The media has speculated that Pristina's current
mayor, a Sejdiu supporter, may also be in danger, as Daci's
team has the support of enough municipal assembly members to

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remove him if they cooperate with the opposition. Similar
problems could also occur in Viti and Ferizaj municipalities,
also Daci strongholds.


6. (SBU) An expert from the OSCE's office for political
party services told us that she does not believe that Daci,s
new party will be allowed to register with the its proposed
"Democratic League8 name, as it is too similar to the LDK.
(NOTE: According to OSCE rules, it can refuse to register a
party if its proposed name is "the same as or confusingly
similar to an existing party." END NOTE). The expert
stressed, however, that the OSCE has not yet been approached
by anyone on the matter, and has only discussed it in-house.
The OSCE confirmed publicly that MPs who change parties
during their tenure retain their seats in the Assembly.


7. (SBU) COMMENT: The formation of this new proto-party
marks the failure of Daci's attempt to wrest control of the
LDK. Regardless of its long-term prospects, the LD
represents a potential complication as we move to the final
status end game. Ahtisaari's package will undoubtedly
contain provisions -- many controversial -- that will have to
be enacted into law by the legislature. Considering the
sustained effort it took to muster the votes in the Assembly
to designate Turkish as an official language in Prizren, a
Daci-led caucus will not make our jobs any easier. END
COMMENT.


8. (SBU) U.S. Office Pristina clears this cable in its
entirety for release to U.N. Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari.
LASKARIS