The president was elected after midnight: Was the Constitution respected? Legal expert Burjani gives his assessment

Kosovo’s Assembly elected Justina Shiroka Pula president of the Republic of Kosovo 13 minutes after midnight. In the third round of voting, she received 81 votes from MPs, securing the required majority.

The process concluded at 00:13 on October 6, 2026, prompting debate over whether the constitutional deadline was respected and whether the procedure followed was valid.

Legal expert Blerim Burjani told “Bota sot” that the deadlines for electing the president are strictly defined and cannot be changed depending on the circumstances.

According to him, the procedure began within the stipulated time but concluded at 12:13. For this reason, the final assessment is expected to be made by the Constitutional Court.

Burjani explains that Kosovo’s Constitution does not contain clear normative rules for complex cases or extraordinary circumstances involving missed deadlines. He points out that the procedure began eight minutes before 12:00 and ended at 12:13. In his view, legal deadlines are strict and cannot be shifted depending on the situation. The same principle applies in court proceedings, where missing a deadline can result in the loss of a right.

He adds that it remains to be seen whether the matter will be referred to the Constitutional Court. The court’s interpretation will be decisive in determining whether the election can be considered lawful, given that the procedure began within the deadline but concluded after it had passed.

Burjani describes the process of electing the president as politically difficult as well. He says that Albin Kurti’s cooperation with the PDK, while leaving the LDK out, may have signaled a possible rapprochement with the PDK.

The legal expert does not rule out the possibility that this cooperation could continue in the future, including through an agreement or political coalition.

According to him, the president’s election took place under complicated circumstances, amid a difficult political climate and at the last moment. Kurti changed political partners, entrusting the PDK with the presidency and choosing not to cooperate with the LDK.

Burjani says Kurti’s justifications are there, but it remains to be assessed whether the decision was politically sound. He notes that the move could be seen as a sign of closer ties with the PDK, and that future cooperation or a coalition cannot be ruled out. Politically, he says, the vote to elect the president and the approval of the law could be interpreted as a kind of “coalition.”