Rugova expects a consensus candidate for president soon: There are names better prepared than me

Ukë Rugova, a deputy from the Democratic League of Kosovo, said he was convinced that a consensus candidate for the post of president would soon emerge.

He said he hoped this would happen within the week, while also speaking about the possibility of being proposed himself as a consensus figure for the position.

“I believe that we will soon have the name of a consensus president. I hope it will happen this week, as Congressman DeGuardi also said, and I believe that, as a people, we have enough names prepared to be president. I am not one of them; that is for someone else to decide, but I am not at this stage. We are at the service of the people of Kosovo and are ready for anything, but not at this stage. I believe there are other names who are better and more prepared to serve Kosovo at this stage,” Rugova declared.

The issue of electing the president has long been part of discussions between the Democratic League of Kosovo and the Vetëvendosje Movement.

In the initial phase of the talks, the LDK had requested that the position of head of state be given to the party as a democratic balance. This request, however, was rejected by the Vetëvendosje Movement and its leader, Albin Kurti.

Kurti said that he had offered the LDK three ministries and the position of deputy prime minister, but the offer had been rejected. Following a meeting of the parliamentary group of the country’s oldest party, Abdixhiku announced that the LDK would not enter into any agreement, but would help elect a consensus president, with the aim of preventing the country from going to elections.

At the latest meeting between Kurti, Abdixhiku, Vjosa Osmani and Lutfi Haziri, the parties said they had reached an agreement on the profile the country’s next president should have.