MP Rrustemi: Vetëvendosje Movement determined to elect president, avoid snap elections

Vetëvendosje Movement MP Adnan Rrustemi stated that his party will engage intensively to secure the election of the president and avoid holding new elections. He emphasized that the full force of LVV will focus on finding a consensus president by October 6.

Rrustemi called on the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo to reconsider their positions. He argued that, especially after the decision of the Specialist Chambers on September 16, which convicted former KLA leaders, the opposition should reflect and be open to cooperation.

Asked about the short time available, the MP acknowledged that the deadline had been narrowed, but added that “each political party must bear in mind that this is the most important thing to give the country stability and avoid elections.” According to him, Kosovo needs a consensus president to face challenges and guarantee institutional stability.

He mentioned that after the June 7 elections, PDK had declared it would remain in opposition without engaging in talks on the president, while AAK had set several demands, including the acceptance of American gas, to support the process. However, Rrustemi expressed confidence that the conviction of former KLA leaders by the Specialist Chambers creates a new context that compels these two parties to change their approach to cooperation with LVV on the election of the president.

He stressed that overcoming the deadlock on the president would enable Kosovo to have institutions with full and stable mandates, capable of facing the challenge of the Specialist Chambers and providing full state support to the four former KLA leaders, through a coordinated strategy.

Reiterating LVV’s readiness for dialogue, Rrustemi stated that “it would be surprising if the opposition political parties, especially PDK and AAK, which refused cooperation before September 16, maintain the same stances after this date.” He added that nothing is more of a priority than resolving the president issue to ensure the full functioning of institutions.

The majority MP also targeted the Constitutional Court’s interpretation regarding the deadline for electing the president. He argued that the court itself in a previous decision had said the procedure starts from the moment of the constitution of the Assembly, while this strange interpretation had significantly shortened the time available to reach a consensus.

While dismissing the opposition’s claims that LVV had aimed for elections on December 27, Rrustemi said that the only calculation of his party had been to find a solution for the president. “We have not wanted elections, nor do we want them,” he declared, adding that citizens demand stability, not repeated elections.

Asked about the possibility of a compromise with PDK involving legal changes regarding the Specialist Chambers in exchange for votes for the president, Rrustemi responded that this issue should not be treated as a political bargaining chip. According to him, confronting the Specialist Chambers must be done as a coordinated state commitment and not through daily political calculations.

The Constitutional Court on September 23 had ruled that the constitution of the Assembly and the formation of the Government were not unconstitutional, but found that the Assembly had been constituted after the 30-day deadline. Consequently, the deadline for electing the president expires on October 6, and the court also requested the swift resolution of the Assembly deputy speaker from the ranks of PDK.