Kosovo risks heading toward its third parliamentary elections within a single year. The key question now is when, but the answer to that may become clearer later.
If a new president is not elected by midnight tonight, the country could move toward new elections.
The ruling party, Vetëvendosje (VV), is insisting that the opposition provide signatures for a second presidential candidate so that a parliamentary session can be convened. According to Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu, without a second candidate there will be no session.
This situation could lead Kosovo into an unprecedented constitutional scenario.
Opposition parties have emphasized that they will not provide signatures simply to create quorum for the presidential vote involving Glauk Konjufca.
Vlora Çitaku from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) stated that the president must be a product of political dialogue.
“This Parliament and Kosovo are not a children’s toy. They were built with blood, effort and sacrifice. As the Democratic Party of Kosovo, we have done our part. We responded positively to meeting requests and tried to offer solutions. But what was demanded of us was submission to the political will of Albin Kurti.
Kurti won 50% of the vote and therefore governs alone and leads the Assembly. However, the President of the Republic must represent civic unity and be the guarantor of the Constitution. We cannot propose a name simply to secure quorum for Mr. Kurti.”
Meanwhile, Lumir Abdixhiku, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said the process has already been compromised.
“The process has been compromised. While we were in talks, the Presidency was already creating a narrative blaming the opposition. On one hand you sit at the table, on the other you prepare a blame scenario. That is a serious compromise of the process.”
Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca accused the opposition of pushing the country toward elections, arguing that if they reject him they should propose another candidate.
“If they propose another name, maybe I would even vote for that person instead of myself. But nobody is proposing anyone — neither PDK nor LDK.”
Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu warned that if no second candidate emerges, Kosovo could enter uncharted constitutional territory.
She explained that according to the Constitution, elections are triggered if no candidate receives 61 votes in the third round, or if a president is not elected within 60 days after the procedure begins. However, since the procedure has not formally started yet, the deadline has not begun to run.
If the process extends beyond 6 March, the Constitution does not clearly specify what happens, because it only states that the president should be elected 30 days before the end of the current mandate.
