The Kosovo Law Institute (KLI) began collecting citizens’ signatures on July 23, 2026, in support of a citizens’ legislative initiative to amend and supplement the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo.

The activity, announced at 10:46 and launched at 10:47, is taking place in Mother Teresa Square in Pristina. Citizens there have been given the opportunity to sign the petition in support of the proposed amendments to the Criminal Code.

Through the citizens’ legislative initiative mechanism, KLI aims to secure public support for the proposed changes. This mechanism allows citizens to participate directly in drafting and amending legislation.

KLI senior researcher Gzim Shala said in an interview that the initiative was undertaken in response to the continued failure to implement Constitutional Court decisions, as well as the need to strengthen the rule of law.

According to Shala, KLI’s first step was to notify the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo about the launch of the initiative, which is based on the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and the Law on Legislative Initiatives. He explained that the issue was raised for two reasons: to ensure the implementation of Constitutional Court decisions and to criminalize actions by political actors in power when their actions undermine political competition.

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The Kosovo Law Institute (KLI) will begin collecting citizens’ signatures today as part of a citizens’ legislative initiative aimed at amending and supplementing the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo.

Citizens will be able to sign the petition supporting the proposed amendments to the Criminal Code during an event to be held in Mother Teresa Square in Pristina.

KLI senior researcher Gzim Shala said in an interview with EO that the initiative was undertaken because of the continued failure to implement Constitutional Court decisions, as well as the need to strengthen the rule of law.

Shala explained that notifying the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo of the launch of this initiative constitutes KLI’s first step. According to him, the initiative is based on the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and the Law on Legislative Initiatives, while the reasons for raising the issue relate to the implementation of Constitutional Court decisions and the criminalization of actions by political actors in power who, through their actions, undermine political competition.

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She said the meeting is expected to discuss the election result and the formation of institutions, while not ruling out that this issue could also be addressed under miscellaneous items.

“I have not signed it. I believe responsibility should be taken by all sides within the LDK and I believe that the engagement of the LDK chairman alone is not sufficient.

We have the agenda and we will discuss the issue of the election result, as well as issues related to the formation of institutions, and of course we will discuss many other issues for the party. We do not have it on the agenda; the last item on the agenda is miscellaneous, and I believe we will discuss it there,” she said.

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Sources within the LDK have said that signatures are being collected to convene an extraordinary assembly, where the dismissal of chairman Lumir Abdixhiku is also expected to be considered.

According to circulating information, the initiative was undertaken by the mayor of Peja, Gazmend Muhaxheri.

These latest developments have prompted various comments from analysts and people close to the LDK, who are interpreting the situation from different angles.

Some of them see the call for a change in leadership as the result of accumulated dissatisfaction after electoral defeats and as an opportunity to reform the party. Others underline that any such step must be taken in accordance with the LDK Statute and that whatever decision emerges from the Assembly should be accepted by all sides.

However, it is still unknown whether this initiative will manage to secure the necessary support or whether it will deepen internal divisions in Kosovo’s oldest political party.

Qarri: The demands of several branches for Lumir Abdixhiku’s resignation and internal elections are linked to dissatisfaction after electoral defeats

Political analyst Gani Qarri, in a statement to “Bota sot,” said that after the LDK’s third consecutive defeat in parliamentary elections within 16 months, four branches that he considers among the party’s most successful and most important have publicly demanded the irrevocable removal of chairman Lumir Abdixhiku.

“Immediately after the votes were counted and the third consecutive defeat was confirmed, the branches in Peja, Lipjan, the Second Branch in Prishtina, and Rahovec demanded Lumir Abdixhiku’s resignation, considering him the main person responsible for the poor result. They also called for the holding of general internal elections as the only way for the LDK’s recovery,” Qarri told ‘Bota sot’.

According to him, dissatisfaction within the party has not remained limited to public reactions.

“Fear that the LDK could be marginalized if the leadership does not change has also led to the start of collecting signatures for Abdixhiku’s resignation, the calling of an extraordinary assembly, and the organization of general internal elections, from the sub-branch level up to the election of a new chairman,” he said.

Qarri also criticized the way Abdixhiku responded to the branches’ demands.

“Instead of resigning or reflecting, Abdixhiku has demanded the resignation of the branch heads in Peja and Lipjan, calling them saboteurs simply because they asked for accountability after the election result. This shows that the LDK is going through a very deep internal crisis, which could endanger the party’s political future,” Qarri said.

He also said that the signature-collection initiative, which he says was launched by Gazmend Muhaxheri, could gain broad support.

“Given the growing dissatisfaction toward the current chairman, this initiative is expected to be successful. Otherwise, there is a risk of creating opposing groups within the party, its division, and even the formation of new political factions,” he said.

In conclusion, Qarri assessed that the LDK’s electoral performance under Abdixhiku’s leadership constitutes sufficient grounds to demand accountability.

“It is a fact that the LDK, even in municipalities where it once governed, has fallen in the rankings. Therefore, Abdixhiku is being asked for accountability and for serious consideration of the branches’ demand for resignation. If this does not happen, there is a risk that the party will face even more serious political consequences,” Qarri concluded.

Saim Tahiraj: Any initiative for changes in the LDK should be handled in accordance with the statute

On the other hand, former LDK activist Saim Tahiraj said that any initiative undertaken in accordance with the Statute of the Democratic League of Kosovo should be seen as legitimate and democratic.

“If this initiative is true, I see nothing to worry about. Every initiative that respects the LDK’s statutory norms is fully democratic. If the necessary signatures are secured, then the matter goes to the LDK Assembly, which decides whether chairman Lumir Abdixhiku should continue his mandate or be removed. Whatever decision the Assembly makes should be respected by everyone,” Tahiraj told ‘Bota sot’.

He added that if the initiative fails to secure the required number of signatures under the Statute, then the current chairman should continue his mandate and that decision should be accepted by all party structures.

Speaking about the LDK’s election result, Tahiraj said it had been lower than the party’s expectations.

“If a proper analysis is made of the latest elections, the result is very poor compared to the LDK’s ambitions. There should be responsibility and accountability for this, starting from the party chairman down to the leaders of branches and sub-branches. So far, no serious analysis has been carried out and no one has taken responsibility for these results,” he said.

According to Tahiraj, the LDK has moved away from its traditional identity.

“I have said it continuously and I continue to say that the LDK has gone outside its traditional course and is no longer itself. Only by returning to its true identity can it resume its path toward success,” he said.

He called on the party to conduct an in-depth analysis of the situation and then, on that basis, undertake reforms.

“I think the best solution is a deep analysis, which would identify the mistakes and give those responsible the opportunity to reflect without resentment. After this, it would be very healthy to hold elections at all levels of the party, in line with the tradition and principles on which the LDK was built,” Tahiraj said.

Among other things, he stressed that in his view, the LDK can return to the path of success only by preserving its political identity.

“Only the LDK’s true originality is the path to success, not improvisations and borrowed models which, in my opinion, have damaged the party from within,” he said.

Saim Tahiraj also made a strong political statement about developments and the internal situation in the Democratic League of Kosovo, claiming that the party is facing outside influences and ideological tendencies.

“The LDK, from the simplest member to the chairman, must clearly understand that pan-Slavic communist ideology has continuously operated in the Albanian space. In my view, this ideology was transmitted through the LPK and today continues to be spread in parties such as PDK, AAK and other smaller entities, with the aim of destroying the LDK,” Tahiraj declared.

“We must not forget that some such elements have also infiltrated the party itself. There is a continuity of ideological structures that have functioned since the past, and this is being reflected even today in Albanian politics,” he said.

In the end, he stressed that the LDK remains, in his opinion, the country’s only original political force.

“I believe that the LDK is the only original nationalist and democratic party in Kosovo. All genuine nationalist forces should line up beside it, because without the LDK even the country’s political stability is at risk.

In my view, all genuine right-wing nationalist forces should line up alongside the LDK, because I consider it the only original political force of this orientation in Kosovo,” Tahiraj concluded for “Bota sot”.

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