Kurti: Electing the president is a condition for supporting the four former KLA leaders

Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, said that the process of electing the president and protecting the former KLA leaders are two separate issues.

Nevertheless, he stressed that Kosovo would not be able to help the four former KLA leaders appeal their prison sentences for war crimes, handed down at first instance by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, if it does not elect a new president. Kurti recalled that the deadline for electing the president expires at midnight tonight.

“We believe that there should be a correction on appeal for the four convicted men. At the same time, the country needs a state and national strategy. If the president is not elected, then we will go directly to elections, but that will not be the only consequence. Such a situation would also limit the possibility of addressing the state strategy and the appeal issue,” Kurti said.

According to him, Kosovo cannot postpone addressing this issue until next year, as it must deal with it within this month.

“Without a president, Kosovo risks remaining in elections for months from today and being left without functioning institutions. For this reason, electing the president is an urgent matter,” he concluded.