Kosovo’s acting president, Albulena Haxhiu, organized a consultative meeting with the parliamentary parties today at 09:00 to discuss finding a solution regarding the election of the new President.
Të lidhura
None found
In her invitation, Haxhiu sought to reach an agreement on a consensus president through political dialogue, while current political and institutional developments were also on the agenda.
However, PDK, LDK and the Alliance did not respond positively to the invitation and decided not to attend the meeting.
PDK MP Uran Ismaili confirmed that his party would not be present. At a press conference, he said Haxhiu should have approached the presiding officer of the Assembly, Avni Dehari, to convene a session.
“First, this is yet another attempt by Mr. Kurti to manipulate the deadlines in relation to the Constitutional Court’s deadline, so it is another act of manipulation. Ms. Albulena Haxhiu would have been better off writing a letter to Dehari asking him to convene the Assembly. Every form of power in Kosovo, every political authority, functions through and is based on the Assembly of Kosovo, and the Assembly has been suspended… What logic is there in this? How can you exercise powers and send letters… The first letter she should have sent was to Dehari. PDK will not be at that meeting; we will be in the Assembly,” Ismaili said.
The Democratic League of Kosovo also rejected the meeting. Its leader, Lumir Abdixhiku, said political communication should take place with party leaders.
“We hold meetings with party leaders. In this case, the only meeting we can hold is with LVV leader Albin Kurti. In our view, Ms. Haxhiu is a member of the Assembly and, accordingly, we can speak only with those responsible for this matter,” Abdixhiku said.
The Alliance also opposed taking part in the meeting convened by Haxhiu. Its leader, Ardian Gjini, accused the acting president and Albin Kurti of not genuinely seeking a solution.
“You are not the elected President of Kosovo and you do not have a mandate to play the role of unifying the political spectrum. You and Kurti are being far too transparent in showing that you are not seeking a meeting to find a solution. You are seeking a meeting to find someone to blame for the decision you have already made—to send the country to elections. This time, into institutional chaos as well.
“Your aim goes beyond that. You want to drag out this deadlock until the date that suits you for holding the elections.
“The Alliance understands this game and will not provide you with an alibi. If you truly wanted the votes and the quorum, you have the Alliance’s six points,” Gjini had written.
Meanwhile, LVV leader Albin Kurti, Alternativa leader Mimoza Kusari Lila, Guxo leader Donika Gërvalla, as well as representatives of non-majority community parties, arrived at the meeting. The meeting began after 09:00.
Haxhiu had said that attendance was expected to be limited to Kurti and the leaders of the non-majority communities, as the main opposition parties had declined the invitation.
In a post, the acting president said that three successive electoral processes with similar results show that political dialogue is essential to overcoming the situation.
“Three successive electoral processes with similar results are ample evidence that, without political dialogue, particularly on the issue of the President, there is no solution for moving forward,” Haxhiu wrote.
According to her, although the election of the President is formally presented as a later stage of the institutional process, the current circumstances make it the point from which dialogue must begin.
Haxhiu said that without an agreement on the President, the way would be opened for a new electoral process, which, according to her, would bring neither change nor a solution.
“It is evident that without an agreement on this issue, the way is opened for a new electoral process that, in practical terms, will bring nothing new. Much less a solution,” she said.
She said she had invited the leaders of all parliamentary political entities with the aim of building a political consensus around the issue.
Haxhiu expressed regret over the non-participation of PDK and AAK, describing their refusal as misguided and as a lack of willingness to move beyond obstructive positions.
“PDK and AAK rejected the invitation. I consider this refusal a misguided and ill-considered action and, above all, a lack of willingness to overcome entrenched positions,” she wrote.
