Kurti-Hamza meeting ends without agreement; Kurti calls it constructive, Hamza confirms PDK will remain in opposition

The meeting between Vetëvendosje Movement leader Albin Kurti and Democratic Party of Kosovo leader Bedri Hamza ended without any concrete agreement on the formation of new institutions.

After the meeting, Kurti said the first conversation with Hamza had been constructive and took place in an atmosphere of willingness and interest in giving Kosovo new institutions, in line with the will of the citizens expressed in the June 7 elections. However, he stressed that there is currently no concrete result to share with the public.

“It was a first and constructive meeting that took place in an atmosphere of willingness and interest in giving Kosovo new institutions in accordance with the will of the people. At the moment, I cannot say that we have any concrete result, any achievement that I could share with the public… I hope this spirit of constructiveness continues going forward and that, in accordance with the constitutional deadlines, we manage to constitute the institutions and give the country a speaker of parliament, a new government, and also a new president. In my view, the will is there, the atmosphere should continue to prevail, and in this way we can be optimistic about the road ahead,” Kurti said.

Hamza, meanwhile, made it clear that PDK will remain in opposition during this mandate and that there is no agreement with the winning party on the creation of institutions.

“The Democratic Party of Kosovo, for this mandate, is a party in opposition, and we wish Mr. Kurti and all those who meet and talk success in giving the country institutions, including all institutions,” he said in a media statement after the meeting.

Hamza said the discussions with Kurti were correct, but underlined that responsibility for establishing the institutions belongs to the party with the largest number of seats in the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo. According to him, PDK is not the party to which requests should be directed for this process.

“We are not the party to which requests should be made, because the responsibility for creating the institutions lies with the party with the largest number of seats in the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo. All the other political parties could not elect the president without the Vetëvendosje Movement. Vetëvendosje must choose a partner according to their needs and criteria, one that may be found in their interests, in order to give the country institutions,” the PDK leader said.

He added that in the Assembly, besides PDK, there are 98 other MPs and, according to him, the institutions can be completed. Hamza also said PDK will cooperate on issues that are beneficial to Kosovo’s citizens and that its vote will be in favor when it comes to the country’s interests.

“The Democratic Party of Kosovo has proven, and I have maintained, insisted, and promised, that the vote of the Democratic Party of Kosovo will be a ‘yes’ vote, including for international financial agreements and other agreements that require a two-thirds vote and are in Kosovo’s interest,” he said.

Hamza recalled that PDK entered these elections with a program focused on the economy, social welfare and wage increases. Even before the meeting, he had stressed that the discussion should initially be about priorities and not positions.

“Initially about priorities, because I ran with a program and I ran with several priorities. I did not run to have just four or five ministers, or to have this or that position. I ran to have a good environment for business, to have partnership with our allies and friends, and to raise wages and pensions,” he had said.

The meeting took place at the Kosovo Assembly, where Kurti arrived accompanied by acting Finance Minister Hekuran Murati. Before the discussions began, he had said he expected a constructive meeting aimed at constituting the institutions of the 11th legislature.

“We expect the meeting to be constructive and to constitute the institutions of the 11th legislature,” Kurti had said.

Hamza, too, before entering the meeting, said he was responding to Kurti’s invitation without prejudice and in the hope that the country would have success, progress and institutional stability.

“We responded to the invitation without prejudice. I hope there will be success and progress, that the country will have institutions and institutional stability, progress and advancement,” he had said.

This was Kurti’s first meeting with the leaders of political parties after the Central Election Commission certified the results of the June 7 elections. A day after that certification, he sent invitations to meet to the leaders of PDK, LDK and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, which was confirmed by government spokesperson Fatlum Jashari.

Kurti will also hold a separate meeting today with Democratic League of Kosovo leader Lumir Abdixhiku at 18:00, also at the Kosovo Assembly. Abdixhiku has confirmed his participation, saying he will go in good faith to hear Vetëvendosje Movement’s proposals and contribute to avoiding new elections. He has also announced that he will hold meetings with representatives of PDK and AAK to understand their positions.

Meanwhile, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo has refused the invitation to meet. Its chairman, Ardian Gjini, published the official letter addressed to Kurti, which says the Alliance does not see such a meeting as necessary and remains by the position it announced on June 26. According to it, support for the creation of institutions is conditional on acceptance of the six points of the offer presented earlier. In another statement, Gjini mentioned some of his demands, including American gas to make the quorum for the president.

According to the results certified by the Central Election Commission, the Vetëvendosje Movement came first in the June 7 elections with 47.13% of the vote, securing 53 seats in parliament. The Democratic Party of Kosovo won 19.44%, or 22 MPs, while the Democratic League of Kosovo, with 16.69%, won 18 seats. The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo secured 6.74% and seven seats, while non-majority communities took a total of 20 seats.