Rushiti: My Name Is No Longer Being Discussed for President; I Am Continuing My Work at KRCT

Feride Rushiti, executive director of the Kosovo Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims, has said that her candidacy for president of Kosovo is no longer part of political discussions. She had been nominated by the Vetëvendosje Movement but failed to be elected at the end of April.

Speaking to Gazeta Express, Rushiti said that, following the lack of consensus on her election, she felt “completely at ease” and had once again devoted herself to her work at the organization she founded.

“No. Since that moment when I was a candidate for president, I have been completely at ease and have continued my work at KRCT, just as I stated at the press conference I held at the time,” she said.

Asked whether she would accept another nomination for the presidency, Rushiti said that such a decision would have to be considered by the relevant bodies of the organization she represents. “I am sorry, but this is not being discussed, because it would have to be discussed through the organization’s various bodies. I am simply telling you that this was my last public position, and it remains unchanged,” she said.

Rushiti had agreed in April to enter the presidential race, describing herself as a “unifying figure” who could help foster “dialogue among political parties.”

On April 27, during the session called at LVV’s request to elect the president, which opposition party MPs did not attend, she received 63 votes. When the deadline set by the Constitutional Court for electing the new head of state expired at midnight between April 28 and 29, Rushiti said at a joint press conference with acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti that she would continue her work at KRCT.

“This candidacy was neither an ambition nor an aspiration for power. It was simply a sincere effort and a contribution to my country by a nonpartisan individual, with the aim of providing an opportunity to resolve the political deadlock the country is facing,” she had said.

At the time, she considered her “journey” as a presidential candidate over and expressed hope that the June 6 snap parliamentary elections would bring a solution. “This journey of mine, which effectively continued yesterday with the best possible intention of bringing the country out of the current crisis, ends today with deep reflection and full responsibility toward the country. I hope the elections will bring institutional stability in the future,” she had said.

Meanwhile, Vetëvendosje Movement leader Albin Kurti and Democratic League of Kosovo leader Lumir Abdixhiku have resumed meetings on the issue of the president. The meeting held yesterday was the first since the LDK withdrew from talks on joining a governing coalition with LVV and dropped its demand for the position of head of state.

After discussing the search for a consensual, nonpartisan candidate, Kurti and Abdixhiku said they had considered the profile the next president should have. They announced that they would discuss specific names at their next meeting.

Even after the June 7 parliamentary elections, which were held as a result of the failure to elect a president, the Assembly has still not been constituted. The constituent session, which began on August 6, was adjourned twice in succession at Kurti’s request.

Kurti did not put forward a candidate for speaker of the Assembly, as required by the Constitution, arguing that there was no point in electing the speaker and deputy speakers without a prior agreement on the president. Under a Constitutional Court ruling, the deadline for constituting the Assembly expired at midnight on August 7.

Despite this, Avni Dehari, the chair of the session and the oldest LVV MP in the Assembly, set August 8 as the date for the constituent session to resume. However, he adjourned it again, in the same manner as on the opening day.

LVV has announced that the constituent session will not continue until an agreement on the president has first been reached. A constitutional deadline of 60 days is stipulated for electing the president, and it begins to run only after the Assembly has been constituted.