The institutional crisis in Kosovo remains unresolved, while the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) have not accepted the invitation from Acting President Albulena Haxhiu to hold a meeting with political leaders.
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Meanwhile, Avni Dehari, chairing the constituent session of the Assembly, has called on political entities to reach an agreement before parliamentary work resumes. He asked the parties to sit down at a joint table and agree on a solution that would put an end to the institutional deadlock.
Dehari said he welcomed the meetings proposed by Acting President Albulena Haxhiu and the leader of the Vetëvendosje Movement, Albin Kurti. At the same time, he appealed to all political forces to work toward an agreement that would enable the institutions to become functional.
The refusal by the PDK and AAK raises questions about what is driving the two parties to seek the constitution of the Assembly while refusing to take part in political discussions on a consensual president.
Political analyst Gani Qarri gave his comments on the situation to “Bota sot.”
Qarri links the latest political development to the situation in northern Kosovo. According to him, the expansion of the presence and functioning of Kosovo’s institutions in that part of the country has increased concern within the opposition.
He referred to KFOR’s confirmation that the “gradual transition” of responsibility for the Main Bridge over the Ibër River to Kosovo Police units has begun, as well as the European Union’s position that the conditions for opening the bridge have been met. In his assessment, these developments, together with the extension of state authority and the full integration of the north, have influenced the opposition’s reaction.
According to the analyst, these steps have pushed the opposition “completely out of control,” as, in his view, it is seeking every opportunity to obstruct governance and prevent Prime Minister Kurti from achieving further successes in leading the Republic of Kosovo.
Qarri criticized the positions of the PDK and AAK, saying that their current conduct contradicts the actions they took last year.
He claims that a year ago these parties used various forms of political obstruction to prevent the constitution of the Assembly and the establishment of state institutions. In this context, Qarri interprets their current demand for the “formation” of the Assembly, even by force, as evidence that their motive is not related to the Constitution or the rules of Parliament.
According to him, this is an attempt to preserve the justice system that he describes as captured and built by these parties, a system which, in his assessment, is gradually collapsing.
The analyst considers the issue of the president one of the main factors explaining the PDK’s and AAK’s insistence on constituting the Assembly while refusing talks on a candidate who could be supported by all sides.
Qarri also drew attention to the expected changes at the Constitutional Court. He stressed that the country’s president has the authority to decree the judges of this court and that the mandates of five current judges expire at the beginning of August 2027.
With the election of five new judges, the composition of the Constitutional Court would change almost entirely. For this reason, Qarri says that the PDK’s and AAK’s insistence on securing the presidency is linked to the importance of this institution.
He added that AAK’s nomination of Ramush Haradinaj for the post of president shows that the party views the position of head of state as an important political objective.
Qarri also claims that the opposition aims to preserve its influence over justice processes through control of the country’s main state institutions.
He recalled that the nine-year mandates of five of the seven Constitutional Court judges, decreed on August 9, 2018, expire on August 8, 2027. According to him, the election of new judges, who are expected to be uninfluenced by politically incriminated parties and former regimes, has fueled the opposition’s efforts to secure the presidency.
The analyst believes that the situation will also be affected by processes to reform the justice system. He mentioned the introduction of vetting and the activation of the Bureau for the Confiscation of Unlawfully Acquired Assets, stating that these developments are weakening the influence that, in his view, politically incriminated parties have had over the Republic of Kosovo’s main legal and judicial institutions, including the Constitutional Court.
Commenting on the PDK’s and AAK’s failure to respond to Albulena Haxhiu’s invitation, Qarri said that this approach risks further deepening the crisis. According to him, refusing dialogue could obstruct the election of a president and lead the country to early elections just 60 days after the constitution of the Assembly.
He emphasized that, at the same time, Avni Dehari, from the Vetëvendosje Movement, has called for a political agreement before the continuation of the next parliamentary session.
Qarri considers an agreement between the parties essential, because, in his view, the country needs a consensual president, functioning institutions and stable governance.
He said Dehari acted correctly by expressing his readiness to welcome meetings between Albulena Haxhiu and Albin Kurti, as well as by calling on the parties to sit down together. According to Qarri, this is the path toward overcoming the political impasse, avoiding an institutional crisis and preventing new early elections, which would be the fourth round in less than two years.
In conclusion, the analyst said that holding elections again does not constitute a lasting solution. He argues that repeated electoral processes have not necessarily brought major political changes and have increased the dissatisfaction of the active electorate.
According to him, the only real path forward is an inter-party compromise on the consensual election of a president, the creation of functioning institutions and the formation of a stable government. Qarri sees this as a condition for independent Kosovo to move toward European integration, achieve membership in NATO and other important Euro-Atlantic and global organizations as quickly as possible, and secure recognition as a fully sovereign state with full rights in the United Nations.
He described this as the final act and the main objective of successful state-building in the Republic of Kosovo, adding that opposition parties should not and must not obstruct this process. This is what Gani Qarri told “Bota sot.”
