Kurti proposes deal with PDK on electing president and voting on Specialist Chambers law

Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, has presented a way to overcome the deadlock over electing the president, linking this process to the approval of the Draft Law on amending the Law on the Specialist Chambers.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Kurti called on PDK leader Bedri Hamza for his party’s MPs to take part in the vote for president. Under his offer, in return the parliamentary majority would vote for the Draft Law on the Specialist Chambers.

He clarified that he is not asking for the participation of all PDK MPs, but at least half of the parliamentary group.

“Half of the Parliamentary Group, just half, not all. All would be even better, but just half,” Kurti stated.

The acting prime minister’s proposal envisages Hamza making a public pledge that PDK MPs will take part in the procedure to elect the president.

Kurti asked that the Assembly hold, in the same session, the second-reading vote on the Draft Law on the Specialist Chambers and then move to the vote for president.

During his speech, he mentioned Glauk Konjufca and Feride Rushiti as two proposed names for the post of president.

“So, an Assembly session tonight, with two items: the vote on the draft law on the Special Court in the second reading and the vote for president,” Kurti said.

According to him, the process of electing the president and the changes to the law on the Specialist Chambers should not condition or block each other.