Political Crisis in Kosovo: LVV and LDK Still Far from Cooperation over Division of Posts

Even after holding meetings, the Vetëvendosje Movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo continue their public clash over the possibility of reaching a political agreement. At the heart of the disagreements are demands concerning the allocation of the highest state offices, particularly those of president and speaker of Parliament.

LVV MP Ilir Kërçeli has again drawn attention to the proposal that Vetëvendosje, according to him, presented to the LDK and PDK for cooperation in establishing the institutions. He described the withdrawal of a party-affiliated nominee as a political concession aimed at enabling the election of a consensus candidate for president.

Addressing the PDK, Kërçeli said the offer provides for the election of a president by consensus and the allocation of the post of speaker of Parliament to that party, giving it one of the three main state offices. According to him, PDK MPs may vote against the presidential candidate, but they should take part in the vote and in the formation of the institutions.

Regarding the LDK, Kërçeli recalled the previous power-sharing formula. He said that when the party had 30 MPs, it entered the government while relinquishing the offices of president and speaker of Parliament, and received the deputy prime minister’s post and three ministries, or the speakership of Parliament and three ministries. Although it now has 18 MPs, he said LDK representatives could also take part in the vote and vote against the candidate.

In his response, the LVV MP also compared electoral support, claiming that no candidate from the LDK or any other political group had secured more than 120,000 votes.

LDK MP Arben Gashi responded to claims that his party was seeking more posts than its election result warranted. He cited the previous LDK-LVV government as an example, mentioning the dismissal of an LDK minister and a party deputy leader. According to Gashi, those decisions violated the agreement in place at the time and led to the government’s collapse.

Gashi argued that the current parliamentary balance, with LVV’s 53 MPs compared with the LDK’s 18, is approximately 3 to 1 and should be reflected in the allocation of institutional responsibilities. According to him, LVV, as the largest party, should choose the two offices it considers priorities: prime minister and speaker of Parliament, or president and speaker of Parliament. He described this as a fair and proportional division.

However, the LDK MP clarified that the obstacle is not limited to the presidency. In his assessment, the main issues are the lack of political trust and a joint program, while the differences between the two parties are clearly evident in foreign, economic and social policy, as well as in their approach to governance.

Gashi said the election of the president could also be resolved, as a worthy candidate could be found among more than 80 MPs. He stressed that if one nominee is not accepted, other alternatives exist, meaning the candidate’s name is not the main problem.

Meanwhile, the PDK and the Alliance have not accepted invitations from Albin Kurti, acting prime minister and LVV leader, to meetings on constituting the institutions and resolving the issue of the presidency. The LDK, by contrast, has participated in meetings, but after the latest discussion its leader said the parties remained very far from reaching an agreement.

The latest exchange of views between Kërçeli and Gashi shows that political communication has not eased the differences. The division of posts and the conditions for institutional cooperation continue to keep LVV and LDK far apart.