Gashi Calls for a Consensus President, Warns Assembly’s Constituent Process Could End Up in Constitutional Court

Arben Gashi, an MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo, believes there is a possibility of electing a consensus president. However, he warns that establishing the new institutions after the 30-day deadline for constituting the Assembly has passed could open constitutional disputes.

Speaking on KosovaPress’s “Interview of the Week,” Gashi said that a consensus presidential candidate should be someone capable of representing the entire political spectrum and possessing personal and professional integrity. According to him, no agreement can be reached unless these conditions are met.

The LDK MP said this issue would be addressed immediately after the Assembly is constituted and the government is formed.

He said a candidate could be found, but an agreement might also not be reached, so the outcome should not be prejudged. Gashi recalled that 60 days are available from the constitution of the Assembly to discuss this issue and that, if two meetings were held each day over two months, 120 meetings could take place.

According to him, the LDK has not yet set any criteria, as presenting them now could create obstructive conditions. In principle, however, he called for a person with personal and professional integrity, institutional and state experience, who upholds constitutionality and represents Kosovo at home and abroad.

Gashi said the LDK had believed that at least five or six such figures could be found within its parliamentary group, but Albin Kurti had not shared that view. According to him, Kurti is claiming that outside the 120 members of the Assembly of the Republic, namely the 100 Albanian MPs, there are even better people who could be selected. He called on Kurti to say who these people are, adding that this would then be acceptable.

At the same time, Gashi raised doubts about the constitution of the Assembly after the 30-day deadline had expired. He said the situation could be referred to the Constitutional Court for review and become the basis for establishing a new constitutional precedent.

According to him, a request for constitutional review could be submitted by a political entity or another institution. Gashi explained that once the Assembly makes a decision, the matter could end up in the Constitutional Court at someone’s request. The Court, he said, could find that everything related to the president is unconstitutional or, conversely, determine that all actions are constitutional and that the institutions may proceed.

Referring also to the “29:00” mark, he described the issue as material for the Constitutional Court. Gashi said he did not know whether the request would be submitted by the LDK, PDK, AAK or the Ombudsperson, prompted by a civil society organization. He added that someone might submit it, but it was also possible that no one would.

For Gashi, this remains a strategic issue and approach. He said it was still too early to disclose what strategy the LDK would pursue on this point, noting that there was material to make arguments in both directions.

The MP also explained the reasons that, according to him, led the LDK to break off talks with the LVV on governing together. He claimed that Albin Kurti did not want the coalition, as he offered the LDK only three ministries and the post of deputy prime minister.

Gashi also objected to the way Kurti addressed LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku, using the phrases “my friend” and “it is no small thing to be my deputy.” According to the MP, these formulations do not demonstrate friendship, but rather a lack of respect for Abdixhiku and the LDK.

He also responded to LVV representatives who welcomed the LDK’s decision to support a consensus president while simultaneously calling for there to be no “trickery” in the process.

Following the LDK’s new position, Gashi called on the LVV to convene the constituent session as soon as possible. He said that any delay in establishing the new institutions would mark the beginning of the end of Albin Kurti’s political career.

The continuation of the constituent session was suspended on August 8 at the request of LVV leader Albin Kurti. The suspension came after the situation in the session escalated when Alliance MP Time Kadrijaj threw eggs at Albin Kurti.

In the June 7 elections, the LVV secured 53 MPs, the PDK 22, the LDK 18 and the Alliance 7.