Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Democratic League of Kosovo leader Lumir Abdixhiku will meet today at 18:00 in the Kosovo Assembly building.
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The talks are taking place at a delicate moment for the country, just days before the Assembly’s constitutive session, as political parties seek a way forward in establishing the new institutions.
The main topics are expected to include the possibility of cooperation between the political parties and the steps that could be taken to overcome the institutional deadlock.
The meeting between Kurti and Abdixhiku is seen as a test of the parties’ willingness to reach a political agreement at a time when making the institutions operational remains the most important challenge.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo have also been invited to the talks, but they have taken different positions. The PDK declined to participate, stating that it would remain in opposition. The AAK, meanwhile, has renewed its six-point proposal, which includes the election of a new president, and expressed its readiness for political dialogue.
Drenori: Meeting could produce the first steps toward new cooperation on electing the president
Analyst Xhavit Drenori told “Bota Sot” that today’s meeting could produce concrete movement toward overcoming the political crisis, particularly regarding the election of a new president.
According to him, the positions expressed by Lumir Abdixhiku after winning a confidence vote within the LDK show that he is prepared to help resolve the institutional impasse. However, it remains unclear whether such cooperation would also extend to governing.
“I hope today’s meeting will produce the first results toward overcoming the political impasse and electing a new president, even if a final solution is not reached immediately.
This expectation is linked to the fact that Abdixhiku, after successfully winning a confidence vote within the LDK, stated that ‘anyone calling for new elections again is crazy.’ Such a position may be seen as a signal that he is prepared to contribute to resolving the institutional situation.
It now remains to be seen whether there will be broader engagement, including the LDK’s participation in the government and other institutions, or whether the agreement will be limited solely to the election of the president. In any event, there are already signs that this situation can be overcome,” Drenori said.
Drenori stressed that, after elections were repeated, the political parties have a responsibility to contribute to resolving the institutional deadlock.
He considers the election of the president the key issue in overcoming the crisis and restoring the institutions’ functionality.
“After elections were repeated three times within these two years, with almost identical results, the political parties, especially the PDK and LDK, must assume their responsibility and help elect the president. If possible, that person should be as little connected to politics as possible and come from civil society, in keeping with the message citizens conveyed through their votes.
If the winning party manages to secure 61 votes to establish the institutions, it should be given the opportunity to govern. Meanwhile, the other parties should use the time to act as the opposition and undertake internal reforms.
It is precisely for this reason that the LDK is appearing more reasonable in this regard. I hope the first results will be seen tonight and that a new path of cooperation on electing the president will open, because that is currently where the knot of the political crisis lies,” he told the newspaper.
Makolli: Abdixhiku has signaled readiness for an agreement that would lift the country out of the institutional vacuum
Political analyst Vesel Makolli warned that the continued institutional deadlock is damaging Kosovo’s standing in the international arena while creating opportunities for Serbia to benefit politically.
Speaking to “Bota Sot,” he said the LDK should become actively involved in resolving the crisis and reach an agreement with the Vetëvendosje Movement to unblock the institutions and ensure the normal functioning of the state.
“Kosovo has no time to lose. The institutional deadlock has continued for nearly two years. During this time, important international agreements have remained suspended. These agreements are monitored by relevant international actors and are directly linked to efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement with the northern neighbor. This has negatively affected Kosovo’s international credibility and standing.
At the same time, the institutional weakness and Kosovo institutions’ avoidance of implementing international obligations are being used by the Serbian regime to improve its position and image on the international stage.
As the party with the longest democratic tradition in Kosovo, the LDK has a particular responsibility to preserve the country’s democratic and state-building culture. For this reason, it should become actively involved in overcoming the institutional crisis and contribute to an agreement with the Vetëvendosje Movement that would unblock the institutions and enable the normal functioning of the state,” Makolli said.
Makolli added that Abdixhiku has signaled his readiness to consider an agreement to overcome the political crisis. According to him, one obstacle for the LDK may be the lack of unity within its Parliamentary Group.
“After his re-election and receiving the confidence of the party Assembly, LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku indicated that he is prepared to consider an agreement that would lift the country out of the institutional vacuum. For President Vjosa Osmani as well, a solution with the Vetëvendosje Movement would be vitally important to her political future.
For the LDK, however, the main problem remains the lack of cohesion within the Parliamentary Group. Differences in the positions of the elected MPs could make it more difficult to reach an internal consensus on a potential agreement with VV, even if the party leadership is willing to pursue one,” Makolli said.
The analyst concluded that reaching an agreement would depend on VV’s willingness to compromise and the LDK’s unity. If these conditions are not met, he said, the possibility of early elections cannot be ruled out.
“VV, together with MPs from non-majority communities, has 63 MPs. If the LDK leader had the full support of all 18 MPs in his party’s Parliamentary Group, it would create the possibility of an 83-MP majority. Such a majority would bring institutional stability to the country and avoid new elections, along with all the political, economic and time costs they would entail.
In short, an agreement depends on two main factors: the Vetëvendosje Movement leader’s willingness to compromise and the unity of the LDK Parliamentary Group in supporting a solution that would end the institutional crisis.
The responsibility now lies with VV. If VV continues to demand control of all three main institutions of power—the Assembly, the Government and the Presidency—the chances of an agreement will fall significantly. Under such circumstances, early elections in late autumn cannot be ruled out, which would further prolong the institutional crisis and political uncertainty in the country,” he concluded for “Bota Sot.”
