Nisma Socialdemokrate MP Xhevahire Izmaku has responded to acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s recent remarks, in which he rejected the idea of awarding the Speaker of the Assembly position to a party with only three deputies. Kurti’s statement was clearly directed at Nisma, led by Fatmir Limaj, with whom coalition talks have reportedly stalled over this very issue.
Izmaku pushed back strongly against Kurti’s argument, emphasizing that leadership in politics isn’t solely about numbers:
“In Kosovo, importance has not always been determined by numbers, but by the weight a leader carries. Fatmir Limaj is a unifying figure with significant contributions, both during the liberation of the country and in the formation of institutions.”
She added that Limaj’s political legacy and role as a consensus builder should not be discounted, regardless of his party’s seat count.
Kurti, on his part, acknowledged for the first time that he had multiple meetings with Limaj, but that no coalition agreement was reached due to Nisma’s insistence on the speakership.
“A party with just three MPs cannot be given the Speaker of Parliament. That’s not realistic,” Kurti had stated, while adding he’s open to offering Nisma ministerial posts as part of a potential coalition.
Despite the impasse, both sides have left the door open for continued dialogue, as the political gridlock in the Kosovo Assembly enters its 19th attempt at forming a functioning legislature.
