Deputies gather again to constitute the Kosovo Assembly

2025-04-27 10:13:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

MPs will gather this morning with the aim of constituting the Assembly of Kosovo, after many failed attempts, but there are no signs that the parliamentary parties have found agreement on this.

Representatives of parliamentary parties said on the eve of the session that they have not changed their positions from previous sessions, warning of another failure of the session.

Nearly three months after the February 9 elections, the process has stalled due to disagreements among some of the largest parliamentary parties over the post of Speaker of the Assembly.

The constitution of the Assembly, launched on April 15, has failed six times in a row, because the winning party, the Vetevendosje Movement, is failing to secure the necessary votes for its candidate for president, Albulena Haxhiu.

Vetëvendosje has 48 seats out of 120 in the Kosovo Assembly.

Haxhiu has failed to get more than 57 votes, out of at least 61 votes needed to be resolved, in the four times he was put to the vote.

Haxhiu is seen by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) as a "divisive figure", while the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) does not want to vote for any candidate from the winning party.

Vetëvendosje insists that Haxhiu is a deserving candidate and, despite calling for a political agreement, has rejected the possibility of proposing any other candidate besides her.

According to the country's Constitution, the winning party has the right to propose a candidate for Speaker of the Assembly.

Naim Rashiti, director of the Balkan Policy Group in Pristina, told Radio Free Europe that the failure to constitute the Assembly has highlighted not only the lack of political consensus, but also the lack of will to respect the institutional responsibilities that arise from the election results themselves.

He stressed that the institutional deadlock is being prolonged "dangerously, deepening the political crisis and placing the country on a path of constitutional uncertainty."

In today's session, MPs must elect the speaker and five vice-speakers, in order to finally constitute the Assembly of Kosovo.

Only after the constitution of the Assembly can the path be opened for the formation of the new Government.

Vetëvendosje won the February 9 elections, with about 42 percent of the vote, or 48 seats.

Even for the formation of the new Government, it needs at least 61 votes.

After LVV, PDK won the most votes, with 24 seats, followed by LDK with 20.

AAK and Nisma won eight seats, three of which belong to the latter.

The European Union said days ago that Kosovo must quickly form new institutions./ REL