All political forces that have won seats in the eleventh legislature of the Assembly of Kosovo have fulfilled the obligation to register parliamentary groups, with the exception of the multiethnic group. The delay is related to the fact that several non-Serb community deputies have been appointed to government posts and have not yet been replaced with new representatives. Sources within this group told KosovaPress that, according to informal data, lawmakers may be called to a session in the coming days, despite an open issue in the Constitutional Court regarding the constitution of the parliament and the formation of the executive.
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Glauk Tahiri, advisor to the Speaker of Parliament Albulena Haxhiu, confirmed to KosovaPress that the registration of the groups has been completed. However, he drew attention to the appeal of the Democratic Party of Kosovo against the constitution process and expressed hope for a swift solution by the court.
“Monday was the last day to submit the names and structure of parliamentary groups. The PDK parliamentary group has contested in the Constitutional Court both the constitution of the Assembly and the decision to approve the government. We expect the court to issue a decision quickly on these requests,” Tahiri stated.
The Roma community deputy, Albert Kinolli, explained to KosovaPress that the only reason the multiethnic parliamentary group remains unregistered is the transition of four of its members to the structure of the Kurti 4 government, where they now hold ministerial posts.
He clarified that the formation of the group will be possible immediately after the replacement deputies are sworn in. “Four members of the multiethnic group have moved to the government as ministers. As long as their successors have not been sworn in, the group cannot be constituted. Once the oath of the new members is taken, the parliamentary group will be formed without delay,” Kinolli emphasized.
Kinolli also hinted that a plenary session could be held within this week. “From the informal information I have, I believe there will soon be a call for a session. (Within this week?) Yes, that is what we expect,” he added.
Vullnet Bugaqku, a researcher at the Democratic Institute of Kosovo, does not see the holding of sessions and the functioning of parliamentary committees as an obstacle. According to his assessment, the Assembly is fully operational until the Constitutional Court decides on a temporary measure or renders a ruling on PDK’s request.
“No one prevents the deputies from meeting to discuss the resolution on the Specialist Chambers or other issues, as long as there is no temporary measure and no final decision. Everything depends on political will, first of all from the majority, which has the numbers and runs the parliament, as well as on the readiness of the Speaker of the Assembly,” Bugaqku expressed.
Jurist Anton Ndrecaj also shares the same view, but draws attention to the necessity of PDK’s return to the Assembly and the holding of the vote for their candidate for deputy speaker. He suggests that the complaining party could withdraw this part of the request in the Constitutional Court, leaving only the issue of the constitutional deadline for constitution under review.
“If PDK returns and accepts to proceed with the procedure for the election of the deputy speaker from its ranks, then the Assembly can start working normally, even if the case is in the Constitutional Court. They can withdraw the complaint about the deputy speaker and allow the examination to continue only for the constitutional deadline for constitution,” Ndrecaj argued.
On Monday, the Democratic Party of Kosovo submitted to the Assembly the Draft Law on the amendment and completion of the Law on Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor’s Office. This initiative comes as a reaction to the conviction by the Specialist Chambers of the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army — Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi — a judgment that political forces and citizens have called unjust and unacceptable.
Since September 16, when the sentences for the former KLA leaders were pronounced, PDK has left open the possibility of returning to the Assembly, although it previously filed the request in the Constitutional Court to question the constitutionality of the legislature’s constitution and the formation of the new government.
