Kosovo, MPs fail to constitute the Assembly even after the seventh attempt

The MPs have failed to constitute the Kosovo Assembly even after the seventh consecutive attempt, as the candidate of the winning party, the Vetevendosje Movement, for the Speaker of the Assembly, was again not voted on Sunday.

The next hearing will be held on Tuesday, announced the chairman of the constituent session, Avni Dehari.

On the eve of the session, representatives of the parliamentary parties had already announced the next failure of the session, saying they have not changed their views from the previous sessions.

Nearly three months after the February 9 elections, the process has stalled due to disagreements among some of the largest parliamentary parties for posting the Speaker of Parliament.
The constitution of the Assembly, launched on April 15, is failing because Vetevendosje fails to secure the necessary votes of 61 for its candidate for chairman, Albulena Haxhiu.

Vetevendosje has 48 seats out of 120 as the Kosovo Assembly has and Haxhiu received only 57 votes for Sunday.

Opposition MPs so far said Sunday that this situation shows that Kurti does not even have the votes for the creation of the new government.

The leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Memli Krasniqi, accused Vetevendosje after the session of holding the country « hostage » by insisting on proposing only Haxhiu.

« All this is happening because of the LVV whims to keep the state hostage to one man. The only way is to withdraw and come up with another candidate, » Krasniqi said.

He added that « it is clear that VV does not have the numbers, not only for Albulena Haxhiu, but for Albin Kurti for the creation of the government. »

« If this blockade continues, it is much better to go to the election, » Krasniqi said.

The MP of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Hykmete Bajrami, said that Vetevendosje has neither for Haxhiu nor for any other candidate.

She called for a political agreement between VV and other parties, but not with the LDK.

« Institutions are constituted by political agreement. VV insists on taking all institutions without the majority, but this cannot happen, » Bajrami said.
She added that it is a VV failure if it leaves no room for cooperation with any political party.
The LDK received an invitation to meet Kurti after the election, but refused it.

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

Vetevendosje insists that Haxhiu is a meritorious candidate and, despite calling for a political agreement, has rejected the possibility of proposing a candidate other than it.

Hekuran Murati, MP of Vetevendosje, said the constitution of the Assembly is being prevented by those who vote against their candidate for parliamentary leaders, « not us who vote for him ».

« Only the constitution of the Assembly paves the way for other processes, which then depend on political agreements and the ruling coalition, » he said.

Murati said Vetevendosje could compromise with other parties only for candidates for vice presidents, but not for Speaker of Parliament.

Time Kadrijaj from the AAK said that the President’s intervention is probably needed to unblock the situation, addressing the Constitutional Court to clarify the deadlines for the constitution of the Assembly.

According to the country’s constitution, the winning party enjoys the right to nominate the candidate for Speaker of Parliament.

Naim Rashiti, director of the Balkan Policy Group in Pristina, told RFE / RL that the Assembly has not only highlighted the lack of political consensus, but also the lack of willingness to respect the institutional responsibilities arising from the election outcome.

He stressed that the institutional stalemate is extending « dangerously, deepening the political crisis and putting the country in a path of constitutional insecurity ».
At today’s session, MPs had to appoint the chairman and the five vice presidents in order to constitute the Assembly of Kosovo eventually.

Only after the constitution of the Assembly can the path to form the new government.

Vetevendosje 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 the LVV most votes won the PDK, with 24 seats, and then the LDK with 20.

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

The European Union has said the day before that Kosovo should quickly form new institutions.
Relief