Kurti Calls for Political Agreement on the Constitution of Institutions

Following the interruption of the constitutive session, acting Prime Minister and leader of the Vetëvendosje Movement, Albin Kurti, explained that his party had not nominated a candidate for speaker of parliament, even though it had the necessary votes. According to him, electing the speaker without a political agreement on the president would lead Kosovo toward new elections.

Kurti said that a solution should be sought through a meeting between the leaders of the parliamentary parties, with the aim of reaching an agreement on making the Assembly operational, forming the government and electing the president.

He warned that any attempt to constitute the Assembly without an agreement that would ensure the presence and votes of lawmakers for the President of the Republic would inevitably end in new, repeated, early, unnecessary and harmful elections.

The head of the Vetëvendosje Movement said that efforts to engage in dialogue had not ended. Over the past few hours, he said, he had held a meeting, sent letters inviting the leaders to talks, responded to their positions in the absence of meetings and exchanged phone messages with them.

According to Kurti, there is no reason for the parties to avoid an agreement or communication, and therefore the efforts made so far should not be considered failed or over.

Kurti stressed that responsibility for electing the president does not rest solely with the Vetëvendosje Movement. He added that the head of state should stand above party politics, be distanced from everyday disputes and not be part of the current political scene, but rather be a figure with proven character, values and professional and national merits.

He reiterated his invitation to the chairman of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Bedri Hamza, the chairman of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Lumir Abdixhiku, and the chairman of the Alliance, Ardian Gjini, to meet. Kurti called for talks to produce a political agreement on a common way forward, in the interest of the institutions of the Republic, the people of Kosovo and its future.

Commenting on the incident involving Alliance for the Future of Kosovo lawmaker Time Kadrijaj, who threw eggs at him, Kurti said he was ready to pay even this price if it served as an opportunity to bring the party leaders to the same table.

He clarified that he was not complaining about the eggs thrown at him, but about the fact that the political leaders refused to meet, adding that even having the prime minister’s suit and trousers struck would be a price he would accept if it persuaded them to sit down and talk.