Konjufca’s Statement on Meetings With Opposition Raises Hopes of Breaking Deadlock; Analysts Point to Greater Political Will

Only a few days remain until the constitutive session of Kosovo’s new Parliament. On Monday, acting Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca provided details about the talks held by Vetëvendosje Movement leader Albin Kurti with the leaders of the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo.

Konjufca noted that after Kurti’s meeting with PDK leader Bedri Hamza, it became clear that the party remains committed to its long-held positions, which he described as outdated. As for the LDK, he said he had the impression that this time there was a stronger willingness to overcome the current situation facing the country.

“The meetings with the PDK and LDK clearly showed that the PDK continues to hold positions we have seen before, old positions that were reiterated during the meeting with Kurti. With the LDK, however, unlike on previous occasions, we saw a greater willingness to move beyond this moment. They have shown greater readiness to cooperate, and I believe that the prospects for an agreement are proportional to that willingness. The greater the political will and readiness to cooperate, the greater the chances of finding solutions on how to divide responsibilities,” Konjufca said. He added that a complete deadlock has prevailed since the December elections.

The acting minister declined to discuss internal developments within the LDK, but stressed that after Kurti’s meeting with Lumir Abdixhiku and Vjosa Osmani, the discussion had taken on a different tone. “We do not comment on the LDK’s internal affairs; they have their own autonomy. But as far as cooperation with us is concerned, it seemed to me that the conversation was different this time, and that makes us more optimistic that a solution can be reached soon,” he said.

Regarding the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Konjufca said that although its representatives declined to meet with Kurti, they provided their reasons and outlined the conditions under which they would be willing to cooperate.

Analyst Skënder Zogaj called on political leaders to reassess their reasoning. He stressed that Kosovo needs institutions and that everyone will bear responsibility if the deadlock continues. “Regardless of party calculations, basic patriotic reasoning must prevail. It must be understood that the country needs institutions and that everyone will be responsible if the deadlock continues. This responsibility is becoming a political and national guillotine because the political class must not jeopardize Kosovo’s freedom and independence. The country is in a deep crisis, on the edge of the abyss, and even the slightest mistake could have major consequences,” Zogaj said.

Zogaj considers Konjufca’s statement an encouraging signal, adding that it does not matter who makes a proposal or whom they propose. What is essential is for state institutions to be established as soon as possible and for the state to function normally. “Konjufca’s optimistic statement is an encouraging sign. The deadlock must be overcome without hesitation and with everyone’s involvement. It does not matter who makes the proposal; what matters is completing the establishment of the institutions and ensuring that the state functions. The people’s sacrifice and the international investment must be justified. Allowing the deadlock to continue is a shameful and anti-national act,” he added.

Konjufca also announced that Albulena Haxhiu is expected to again be the candidate for speaker of the Assembly. He said the matter has not yet been officially discussed within the LVV, but a decision will be made at the next meeting of the party presidency. “I believe we have already decided on our candidate for speaker, and that is Ms. Haxhiu. I believe the proposal will remain the same,” he told reporters.

Meanwhile, analyst Gani Qarri criticized the LDK, saying that some elements within it rushed to make consensus impossible and obstructed the constructive formula between Kurti and Abdixhiku. “Problems within the LDK emerged with unimaginable speed, only a few months after Abdixhiku was confirmed as its leader. At the very moment he signaled that he and Kurti were on the right track toward the necessary compromise and the election of a consensus president, it became clear that Rugova’s LDK had been taken over by destructive individuals and groups. They want to strip this institutional party of its meaning, even at the cost of splitting it. Therefore, to prevent a consensus, they chose this decisive moment to obstruct the formula for the country’s head of state, thereby putting the entire country at risk,” Qarri said.

He added that the LDK has shown willingness to overcome the deadlock, but it remains unclear why an internal group has rebelled now. “Although the PDK remained rigid, Abdixhiku signaled positive movement. Konjufca confirmed that the LDK showed greater willingness this time. It is therefore puzzling why this conspiratorial group, in the name of internal grievances that are not new, is trying to destroy every possibility of an agreement at this crucial moment,” he stressed.

Regarding Haxhiu, Qarri believes she will have no difficulty securing the votes to become speaker of the Assembly, but the election of the president remains problematic. “Ms. Haxhiu will again be a candidate and is expected to be elected. This will unblock the process of constituting the Assembly and forming the government, as the LVV has secured the necessary votes for both. However, the election of the president remains a problem, as it requires the presence of two-thirds of lawmakers in the first round of voting, while in the third round a simple majority, or 61 votes, is sufficient,” he explained.

Finally, Qarri sees greater hope of breaking the deadlock this time and outlined a possible scenario. “Hopes of overcoming the deadlock and electing the president have not faded; they are more apparent because the opposition parties are not interested in new elections. For the LDK, with so many problems, elections would be catastrophic. The AAK has stated that it is prepared to vote for Konjufca as president as part of an agreement with the LVV, provided that certain conditions are met. If no consensus is reached, the most likely scenario is that the opposition will attend the sessions to ensure a quorum, even without voting, allowing the president to be elected in the third round with the 61-63 votes held by the LVV and the non-Serb minorities. This would end the protracted deadlock, which is approaching the end of its second year and is portraying Kosovo to the international community as an unstable and problematic state, with many unfulfilled obligations on its path toward the EU and Euro-Atlantic integration,” Qarri concluded.