Fierce Clashes in Parliament as PDK and AAK Challenge Vetëvendosje – How the Situation Unfolded

On Wednesday, the Kosovo Assembly was engulfed in tensions and verbal clashes during activities open to the public. Representatives of the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo objected to the presence of MPs and officials from the Vetëvendosje Movement, insisting that the constitutive session resume immediately.

The situation escalated when VV lawmakers approached those present to speak with them. At that point, PDK MPs began chanting and protesting, creating a tense atmosphere inside the chamber.

The clashes were evident during the scheduled speeches by VV officials. Acting Justice Minister Donika Gërvalla was prevented from speaking because of loud chants from PDK members. Reports from the scene indicated that slogans including “Democracy” and “KLA” were directed at her.

A similar scene unfolded involving acting president Albulena Haxhiu. Surrounded by protesting opposition MPs demanding that the session continue, she was forced to announce that she would not hold the planned media conference in the Assembly lobby. Haxhiu said the conference would take place only if PDK MPs left the surrounding area.

As developments in the chamber intensified, several opposition MPs even attempted to physically remove representatives of the Vetëvendosje Movement, further escalating the confrontation. These incidents occurred as the legislature remains in a deep deadlock over its constitution and the continuation of the relevant session.

Donika Gërvalla told the media that the session would be called only after an agreement between the parties, but her statement was interrupted by loud calls to “call the session.” In a direct exchange with PDK MP Blerta Deliu Kodra, Gërvalla asked why they were not attending a meeting to seek a political compromise. Deliu Kodra responded by insisting that calling the session was a constitutional obligation, not a matter of political will.

The presence in the Assembly lobby was dominated by PDK and AAK, which adamantly demanded that proceedings continue while the “Diaspora Members in the Assembly” event was being held in the plenary chamber. Social media circulated footage of a tense discussion between Albulena Haxhiu and Vlora Çitaku, which was being filmed by members of the diaspora. PDK had earlier announced that it would attend the Assembly despite the absence of an official invitation from presiding chair Avni Dehari, and AAK subsequently joined its position.

PDK parliamentary group leader Arian Tahiri said the aim was to restore the Assembly’s functioning and safeguard the state’s constitutional foundations, warning of further bold steps if all options within the institution were exhausted. For his part, AAK’s Besnik Tahiri stressed their determination not to allow citizens’ rights to be violated. Following these statements, opposition MPs left the chamber and remained in the lobby, where two VV MPs also appeared. One of them, Vigan Qorrolli, described the opposition’s action as acceptable but reaffirmed the position that a political agreement remains a prerequisite for continuing the process.

PDK said the invitation to be present in the chamber had been extended to all parties, although no representatives of the Democratic League of Kosovo were seen there. Meanwhile, presiding chair Avni Dehari backed the view that the session could not continue without a prior political agreement.

The institutional collapse comes after the 30-day deadline for constituting the new legislature expired on August 7, following the July 8 certification of the June 7 election results. Although the session began on August 6, the election of the speaker and deputy speakers remained unresolved because of the lack of consensus. In response to the deadlock, 14 civil society organizations, led by AVONET, have petitioned the Constitutional Court to enforce the relevant rulings.

At the heart of the deadlock is the issue of the country’s new president. The Vetëvendosje Movement is seeking a broad political agreement and a non-partisan candidate without political affiliations. LDK claims that the post belongs to it. PDK insists that constitutional procedures must be followed to complete the Assembly’s constitution first. AAK, meanwhile, blames Vetëvendosje for the blockade and demands strict adherence to deadlines. The European Union has urged Kosovo’s political forces to immediately find a consensus candidate for president, warning that delays in establishing the institutions threaten domestic reforms and access to European funds.