Deadline for electing new President of Kosovo expires tomorrow

PRISTINA – The constitutional deadline for electing a new president expires tomorrow, while political parties have yet to reach a consensus on a candidate capable of securing the participation of at least 80 MPs in the voting process, Koha reports.

The Self-Determination Movement (LVV) has put forward an offer to the two main opposition parties, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), to propose three presidential candidates, pledging to provide the necessary signatures to formalise the nominations and to support one of the candidates. The offer was made on Saturday, three days before the constitutional deadline.

LDK conditioned its participation on certain terms, mentioning Vjosa Osmani, whose five-year mandate ended earlier this month, as a potential nominee.

PDK rejected Saturday’s proposal to jointly nominate three presidential candidates together with LDK.

Bedri Hamza described Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s new proposal as a manoeuvre, stressing that for PDK the issue of the presidency is “closed.”

“We are different parties. PDK and LDK are separate entities. AAK is separate. We were not invited at all. We had different offers with LDK, and we discussed the presidency with PDK. This is not a matter of accommodating an individual, but a serious issue that could have been addressed at the table when we were together. There was no seriousness from LVV then, nor is there now,” Hamza said in the Assembly hall ahead of an extraordinary session.

LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku, in a Facebook post addressed to Kurti, raised the possibility of nominating Osmani again, provided that LVV secures 66 votes in support.

“Dear Prime Minister Kurti, since we are communicating at a distance, please decide whether you want a political agreement with LDK or 90 votes together with PDK. If it is the latter and you cannot proceed without them, then we cannot help you. Once you decide, we will consider,” Abdixhiku wrote.

“But if you want a political agreement with LDK, then speak with us. We will nominate the president and take full responsibility. We can also propose Vjosa Osmani, if you guarantee 66 votes for her”, he added.

Following the constitution of the Assembly after the 28 December elections, Kurti held separate meetings with PDK leader Bedri Hamza and LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku in an effort to reach consensus on a presidential candidate. No agreement was reached by 5 March, which had been considered the final deadline for electing the president.

LVV then proposed two of its own candidates: Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca and MP Fatmire Mulhaxha-Kollçaku. The vote did not take place, as the first two rounds require the participation of at least 80 MPs, and the session was boycotted by PDK, LDK, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), and the Serbian List.

The following day, Vjosa Osmani issued a decree dissolving the Assembly, but the government and LVV MPs challenged it before the Constitutional Court, which subsequently ruled that the decree had no legal effect and gave MPs until next Tuesday, exactly two months since the current Assembly began its active mandate, to elect a president.

After the Constitutional Court’s decision, Kurti held meetings only with Abdixhiku. These did not result in an agreement, and the two sides agreed that no further meetings would be held to seek a solution. On the same day, at a Presidency session, PDK declared its participation in presidential negotiations concluded.

The deadline for electing the president expires tomorrow, 28 April. If no president is elected, the Assembly will be automatically dissolved, and the Constitution stipulates that early elections must be held within 45 days. Based on these timelines, the latest possible date for Kosovo citizens to return to the polls would be 7 June.