Former NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson and British MP Paul Foster, who previously served as a British Army engineer in Kosovo, have urged Kosovo’s political parties to act urgently and responsibly to resolve the presidential deadlock and establish fully functioning institutions.
In a statement addressed to the Kosovo Assembly and obtained by KOHA, Robertson and Foster, who described themselves as longtime friends of Kosovo, called on lawmakers and political leaders across the political spectrum to work toward ending the country’s institutional impasse.
“As longtime friends of Kosovo, we call on all members of the Assembly and leaders across the political spectrum to act with urgency and responsibility to resolve the issue of the Presidency and form a fully functioning government without further delay,” they said.
They warned that continued institutional paralysis could undermine public confidence and divert attention from the issues that matter most to citizens, including security, economic opportunities, the rule of law and Kosovo’s European future.
“Continued institutional deadlock risks weakening public trust and diverting attention from the priorities that matter most to citizens: security, economic opportunities, the rule of law and Kosovo’s European future,” the statement said.
Robertson and Foster also stressed that the political crisis is unfolding amid heightened global and regional uncertainty, including growing security challenges facing Europe and concerns over stability in the Western Balkans.
The two British figures emphasized that they were not seeking to determine who should lead Kosovo, noting that the choice of the country’s political leadership belongs to Kosovo’s constitutional institutions and democratically elected representatives.
They nevertheless urged all political parties to engage constructively, make the necessary compromises, elect a president in accordance with the Constitution and establish a stable government as soon as possible.
Quoting former U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s call to seek “the right answer” rather than a partisan one, Robertson and Foster said Kosovo’s political leaders should place the country’s interests above political divisions.
“In Kosovo’s current circumstances, the right answer is the one that puts the country, its people and its future first,” they said.
They concluded by stressing that the people of Kosovo deserve functioning institutions capable of governing effectively, protecting the national interest and advancing the country toward Europe and the wider democratic community.
“We sincerely hope that a solution can be reached quickly and in a spirit of cooperation,” Robertson and Foster said.
Kosovo has yet to complete the formation of its institutions following the June 7 parliamentary elections. The Assembly is scheduled to continue its constitutive session on Wednesday, with the election of the Assembly president and deputy speakers on the agenda.
Under the constitutional process, the formation of a government and the eventual election of a president would follow. Although the winning Vetëvendosje party is reported to have sufficient support to form a government, the institutional deadlock has centered on the unresolved issue of the presidency.
The intervention by Robertson and Foster comes as political pressure grows on Kosovo’s elected representatives to overcome the impasse and restore the country’s full institutional functionality.
