VV responds to Bekim Sejdiu’s withdrawal: The agreement was reached, but the process was obstructed

The Vetëvendosje Movement has expressed regret over Professor Bekim Sejdiu’s decision to withdraw his candidacy for president of the Republic of Kosovo. According to VV, Sejdiu was the joint candidate resulting from the political agreement between it and the Democratic League of Kosovo.

In a reaction posted on Facebook, VV blamed some LDK lawmakers, as well as the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Alliance, for preventing the presidential election process from moving forward. According to the party, after several months of dialogue and compromises, an agreement was reached and the candidacy was determined, but when it was supposed to be put to a vote in the Assembly, the process was blocked.

The party assessed that the opposition of some LDK lawmakers to the candidacy, which had also been approved by their own political entity, as well as the decision by the PDK and the Alliance not to participate in the process, created the circumstances that made it impossible to elect the president in the Assembly.

VV stressed that non-participation in a vote, when used to obstruct the process, does not simply constitute a political stance toward a candidate, but rather a blockage of the constitutional procedure itself and a risk of elections being held again.

According to the reaction, the political agreement had created an opportunity for Kosovo to avoid a new period of institutional uncertainty and for the presidential issue to be concluded in the Assembly. However, after it was reached, the agreement was opposed and obstructed.

The Vetëvendosje Movement said it stood by the agreement and the joint candidate to the end. It thanked Bekim Sejdiu for his willingness to serve the Republic and for the dignity he demonstrated throughout this process.

“For months, dialogue, compromise and an agreement were sought. Dialogue took place, a compromise was reached, the agreement was finalized and a joint candidate was found. When the time came for the Assembly to vote on the agreement, efforts to obstruct it began,” VV said in its reaction.

The party added that Kosovo had the agreement and the joint candidate, as well as the opportunity for the president to be elected in the Assembly, but the process was blocked once again. Under these circumstances, Bekim Sejdiu decided to withdraw from the race.