PDK MP Vlora Çitaku has criticized the political deadlock and the failure to constitute Parliament, emphasizing that party agreements cannot stand above the Constitution.

According to her, dialogue and debate are normal in a parliamentary democracy, but violating the Constitution must not become the norm. She added that political agreements between parties and other sides do not override the Constitution, which stands above every party and leader and requires Parliament to be constituted and institutions to be established.

She further recalled that 555 days have passed since the elections in February 2025, while the discussion is focused on the positions and posts of those in power, making it impossible to address citizens’ concerns and hardships.

Çitaku stressed that Kosovo urgently needs functioning institutions and that the place for constituting Parliament is precisely its chamber.

She called on MPs Kurti and Haxhiu, as well as everyone else, to come to the chamber to constitute Parliament and move forward.

The MP also responded to criticism and public statements by those in power, describing them as “lectures” that she does not accept.

Speaking to reporters, she said they do not accept public or moral lectures and that the current officeholders are serial violators of the Constitution who are not concerned at all. According to her, the Constitutional Court’s ruling is clear and unequivocal and requires the constitution process to be completed within 30 days.

The post Çitaku: The Constitution Is Above Every Party and Leader, Parliament Must Be Constituted appeared first on Albeu.com.

The institutional crisis remains unresolved, while Acting President Albulena Haxhiu has called on the parties to engage in dialogue to find a way out of the situation. She said the talks should begin with the election of the head of state. Meanwhile, the PDK and the Alliance are calling for the constitutive session to continue, but Parliament says it has received no official notification that it will be held. Avni Dehari insists that the session will not be called until a political agreement is reached on the president.

Albulena Haxhiu expressed regret after the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Alliance declined an invitation to a consultative meeting with the leaders of parliamentary political entities.

According to Kosovo’s acting president, the meeting was intended to achieve the political consensus needed to overcome the institutional deadlock. She described the refusal as a wrong and ill-considered step, as well as evidence of a lack of willingness to move away from what she called “barricade-like positions.” Haxhiu stressed that such stances serve no one, and least of all the Republic.

Haxhiu believes that three electoral processes, which produced broadly similar results, show that the institutional crisis cannot be resolved without political dialogue. Although, formally, the election of the president constitutes the third step, she said that under the current circumstances, this issue should be placed first on the discussion table.

She recalled that during the winter and spring of this year, there had been requests and appeals for the parties to hold talks in advance, before any institutions were constituted and regardless of the outcome. According to Haxhiu, the moment, opportunity and necessity to implement this now exist. She called for the discussions not to begin with what could be achieved easily, but with the issue that, in her view, is continually taking the country to elections: the question of the president.

During the morning, the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party of Kosovo appeared at Parliament after earlier asking Avni Dehari, the chair of the constitutive session, to call for its continuation. Alliance lawmakers were also seen on the premises of Parliament.

Arian Tahiri, head of the PDK Parliamentary Group, said that the blockade in the Assembly of Kosovo could no longer be treated merely as a “political crisis.” According to him, it is now a matter of protecting the constitutional order, the institutions and the Republic itself.

Besnik Tahiri, who leads the AAK Parliamentary Group, meanwhile said that the door to the chamber where plenary sessions are held was being deliberately kept closed.

In a notice, the Parliament Administration clarified that it had received no official communication regarding the organization and holding of a session on 16 August.

The clarification emphasized that the absence of a notice did not constitute a political decision or a position on initiatives by lawmakers or parliamentary groups.

The Administration said that as soon as official communication regarding the holding of a session was received, the appropriate steps would be taken and administrative, technical and logistical support would be provided within the scope of its authority.

PDK and Alliance lawmakers are requesting for the third time that the constitutive session continue. However, Avni Dehari has reiterated that he will not call for its continuation until there is a political agreement on the head of state.

Albulena Haxhiu has announced that she will receive the political parties at a meeting on Wednesday to discuss precisely this issue.

The post The Crisis in Parliament Remains Unresolved as Political Dialogue Focuses on the Election of the President appeared first on Albeu.com.

Uran Ismaili, a PDK lawmaker, announced that his party’s Parliamentary Group had once again submitted a request to Avni Dehari, the chair of the constitutive session, for its continuation to be called on August 16. According to him, the request aims to restore constitutional order.

During a press conference, Ismaili criticized Vetëvendosje for the fact that Parliament has still not been constituted.

He described the situation as another attempt to manipulate deadlines, saying that Haxhiu should have written to Dehari to call the session. Ismaili questioned the logic behind exercising mandates and sending letters when, in his view, the first letter should have been addressed to Dehari. He made clear that the PDK would not participate in that meeting, but would be in Parliament.

The PDK lawmaker also spoke about the consequences citizens are facing, in his view, because of the absence of a functioning Parliament, highlighting problems in healthcare, energy and education.

Ismaili said this was not a matter of theories or a simple partisan accusation. He cited reports about shortages of important medicines for cancer patients and stated that thousands of Kosovo families pay high sums for healthcare services, while, according to him, individuals and companies linked to those in power are becoming wealthy.

According to Ismaili, the same crisis is also present in the energy sector, where millions upon millions of euros from citizens’ pockets are going directly to companies close to those in power. He added that the situation is similar in education, as no projects are being implemented to improve quality or digitize education. He described this as the Kosovo of today and as the Kosovo of Albin Kurti’s years-long crises.

So far, the invitation from Acting President Albulena Haxhiu to the meeting scheduled for Tuesday at 09:00 has also been rejected by Alliance leader Ardian Gjini.

The continuation of the constitutive session was interrupted on August 8, following a request from LVV leader Albin Kurti and an escalation of the situation in the chamber, when Alliance lawmaker Time Kadrijaj threw an egg at Albin Kurti.

In the June 7 elections, LVV secured 53 lawmakers, PDK 22, LDK 18, and the Alliance 7.

The post Ismaili: PDK will be in Parliament, not at the called meeting appeared first on Albeu.com.

The Democratic Party of Kosovo has submitted a request for the constitutive session to continue tomorrow, August 14. PDK MP Përparim Gruda said the request is aimed at ensuring respect for the Constitution.

“On behalf of the PDK, we have submitted a request to the session chair, Dehari, for the session to resume tomorrow at 11:00, as stipulated by the rules of procedure,” he said.

Gruda accused the Vetëvendosje Movement of obstructing the completion of the process to constitute Parliament.

“LVV is preventing us from carrying out our duties as MPs. On behalf of the party, I call on MP Kurti to allow Dehari to convene the session. Dehari does not have the authority to make political assessments; his role is technical—to convene and conduct the session,” Gruda said.

The post Kosovo/ Following Tensions at the Last Session, PDK Calls for Parliament’s Constitutive Process to Continue on August 14 appeared first on Albeu.com.

On Wednesday, the Kosovo Assembly was engulfed in tensions and verbal clashes during activities open to the public. Representatives of the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo objected to the presence of MPs and officials from the Vetëvendosje Movement, insisting that the constitutive session resume immediately.

The situation escalated when VV lawmakers approached those present to speak with them. At that point, PDK MPs began chanting and protesting, creating a tense atmosphere inside the chamber.

The clashes were evident during the scheduled speeches by VV officials. Acting Justice Minister Donika Gërvalla was prevented from speaking because of loud chants from PDK members. Reports from the scene indicated that slogans including “Democracy” and “KLA” were directed at her.

A similar scene unfolded involving acting president Albulena Haxhiu. Surrounded by protesting opposition MPs demanding that the session continue, she was forced to announce that she would not hold the planned media conference in the Assembly lobby. Haxhiu said the conference would take place only if PDK MPs left the surrounding area.

As developments in the chamber intensified, several opposition MPs even attempted to physically remove representatives of the Vetëvendosje Movement, further escalating the confrontation. These incidents occurred as the legislature remains in a deep deadlock over its constitution and the continuation of the relevant session.

Donika Gërvalla told the media that the session would be called only after an agreement between the parties, but her statement was interrupted by loud calls to “call the session.” In a direct exchange with PDK MP Blerta Deliu Kodra, Gërvalla asked why they were not attending a meeting to seek a political compromise. Deliu Kodra responded by insisting that calling the session was a constitutional obligation, not a matter of political will.

The presence in the Assembly lobby was dominated by PDK and AAK, which adamantly demanded that proceedings continue while the “Diaspora Members in the Assembly” event was being held in the plenary chamber. Social media circulated footage of a tense discussion between Albulena Haxhiu and Vlora Çitaku, which was being filmed by members of the diaspora. PDK had earlier announced that it would attend the Assembly despite the absence of an official invitation from presiding chair Avni Dehari, and AAK subsequently joined its position.

PDK parliamentary group leader Arian Tahiri said the aim was to restore the Assembly’s functioning and safeguard the state’s constitutional foundations, warning of further bold steps if all options within the institution were exhausted. For his part, AAK’s Besnik Tahiri stressed their determination not to allow citizens’ rights to be violated. Following these statements, opposition MPs left the chamber and remained in the lobby, where two VV MPs also appeared. One of them, Vigan Qorrolli, described the opposition’s action as acceptable but reaffirmed the position that a political agreement remains a prerequisite for continuing the process.

PDK said the invitation to be present in the chamber had been extended to all parties, although no representatives of the Democratic League of Kosovo were seen there. Meanwhile, presiding chair Avni Dehari backed the view that the session could not continue without a prior political agreement.

The institutional collapse comes after the 30-day deadline for constituting the new legislature expired on August 7, following the July 8 certification of the June 7 election results. Although the session began on August 6, the election of the speaker and deputy speakers remained unresolved because of the lack of consensus. In response to the deadlock, 14 civil society organizations, led by AVONET, have petitioned the Constitutional Court to enforce the relevant rulings.

At the heart of the deadlock is the issue of the country’s new president. The Vetëvendosje Movement is seeking a broad political agreement and a non-partisan candidate without political affiliations. LDK claims that the post belongs to it. PDK insists that constitutional procedures must be followed to complete the Assembly’s constitution first. AAK, meanwhile, blames Vetëvendosje for the blockade and demands strict adherence to deadlines. The European Union has urged Kosovo’s political forces to immediately find a consensus candidate for president, warning that delays in establishing the institutions threaten domestic reforms and access to European funds.

The post Fierce Clashes in Parliament as PDK and AAK Challenge Vetëvendosje – How the Situation Unfolded appeared first on Albeu.com.

On 12.08.2026, at 12:26, PDK and AAK deputies continued to stay in the lobby of the Kosovo Parliament, from where they demanded that the constitutive session resume. At the same time, the traditional event “Compatriots in Parliament” was being held in the plenary hall.

Meanwhile, footage circulated on social media of a debate between the acting president, Albulena Haxhiu, and PDK deputy Vlora Çitaku. Their discussion was being recorded by diaspora members.

PDK had stated that its deputies would go to Parliament even if the chairing officer Avni Dehari did not formally call the session. AAK later joined the call for its resumption.

Arian Tahiri, head of the PDK parliamentary group, said his party aimed to make the Parliament functional and safeguard constitutional order. “If all possibilities within Parliament are exhausted, other courageous steps will be taken to protect the state,” Tahiri said.

AAK deputy Besnik Tahiri also said his party would not allow what he called “violation of citizens’ rights.” After the speeches, PDK and AAK deputies left the hall but remained in the lobby of Parliament.

Shortly before their exit, two deputies from the Vetëvendosje Movement appeared in the hall. Vigan Qorrolli explained their presence was related to the diaspora event, and described the opposition’s action as “permissible.” However, he reiterated LVV’s stance that a political agreement was needed before the Parliament’s constitution and the formation of the government could proceed.

According to PDK, the invitation to be in the hall was extended to all parties, but LDK deputies were not seen there. Avni Dehari had also stated that the session should not continue without a political agreement among the parties.

This clash occurred after the 30-day deadline for constituting the Parliament had passed. The final results of the June 7 elections were certified on July 8, and the deadline for creating the legislative body ended on August 7.

The constitutive session had opened on August 6, but the Parliament failed to complete the election of the speaker and deputy speakers. The lack of political agreement left the process suspended.

To enforce this requirement, 14 civil society organizations, led by AVONET, petitioned the Constitutional Court.

At the center of the political deadlock continued to be the election of the next president. Vetëvendosje demanded a more comprehensive deal and a consensus, non-party candidate for this post, while LDK claimed that the presidency should belong to it.

PDK insisted that constitutional procedures first be followed and the Parliament’s constitution completed. Meanwhile, AAK demanded respect for constitutional deadlines and blamed Vetëvendosje for the institutional blockade.

The European Union called on Kosovo’s political parties to find a joint presidential candidate as soon as possible. The EU warned that delays in forming institutions could hinder reforms and affect access to European funds.

In the development reported on 12.08.2026 at 12:22, Albulena Haxhiu, acting President of Kosovo, interrupted her press conference in the Parliament lobby. This happened after PDK and AAK deputies positioned themselves near her, demanding the constitutive session resume.

Haxhiu said that because of the deputies’ presence, she could not hold the conference and addressed PDK deputy Ganimete Musliu with the words: “Ah, so PDK had planned to hold a conference. Go ahead. Continue.”

Before abandoning the podium, Haxhiu added: “The moment PDK makes it possible, allows me to hold the conference, I’ll come out.” During her departure, PDK deputies called on her to convene the session, saying “Call the session” and “Don’t leave.”

At 12:15 on 12.08.2026, Alliance deputy Besnik Tahiri spoke from the parliamentary podium after the Democratic Party of Kosovo called for the continuation of the constitutive session.

He explained that deputies had come to Parliament at PDK’s invitation to perform a function he called vital for the country. “We are here at the invitation of PDK to exercise a function that is vital for Kosovo,” Tahiri stated.

Stressing that sovereignty belongs to citizens and institutions emerging from elections, he portrayed the obstruction of Parliament’s work as an attack on constitutional order and democracy. “Sovereignty belongs to the people, to elected institutions. Blocking the Kosovo Parliament is an infringement of sovereignty, constitutional order, and democracy,” he said.

Tahiri also warned that deputies would not, under any circumstances, accept violations of citizens’ rights. “We will in no form, in no way, allow the rights of citizens to be violated,” the Alliance deputy said.

Earlier, on 12.08.2026 at 12:04, deputies from the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Alliance had gathered in the plenary hall. They asked Avni Dehari, in his capacity as chair of the constitutive session, to call its resumption, while there were no deputies present from the Democratic League of Kosovo.

Through a letter sent to Dehari, PDK demanded that the session be convened without delay and that conditions be created for elected deputies to exercise their mandate. According to this party, the failure to constitute the Parliament within the deadline had created a serious constitutional situation, but the expiry of the deadline did not annul the obligation to complete the process.

PDK’s notice stated: “The obligation to conclude the constitutive process remains and must be fulfilled without further delay.”

The Alliance also announced that its deputies would join PDK representatives in the plenary hall. Besnik Tahiri confirmed his party’s participation in the stance announced by PDK and repeated the demand that Dehari resume the session.

“As you know, PDK called a session at 11:00 and the Alliance will take part. Right now the information is that media are not being allowed to attend the session. We don’t know how and why. But the lack of transparency and the approach we are getting from LVV is driving the state of Kosovo into the abyss,” Tahiri declared.

PDK deputy and vice-chair Vlora Çitaku also spoke inside the Parliament hall, with several diaspora members present there. She called for the constitutive session to be resumed, arguing that the elected must be enabled to exercise their mandate. “We are elected deputies here, but doors are closed to us,” Çitaku said.

Then, Çitaku underlined the weight of Kosovo’s institutions and recalled the sacrifice that had enabled their creation. “Parliament is not just an object, not a brick building, it is an institution. I was sitting in this seat the day Kosovo’s Independence was declared. Blood, effort, sweat, sacrifice was shed so that Kosovo would have institutions. We must not act as if nothing is happening,” she said.

Also present in the hall was Albulena Haxhiu, acting President. After Çitaku stated that Parliament doors were closed for deputies, there was a brief exchange between them.

The Kosovo Parliament remained unconstituted because in two attempts held up to that point, the speaker had not been elected and the constitution of the 11th Legislature had not been completed.

The continuation of the constitutive session remained a source of clashes among parliamentary parties, while the failure to create new institutions was prolonging the political crisis in Kosovo.

It was the third day during which the Kosovo Parliament had been open to diaspora visitors. It was precisely within this activity that PDK and Alliance deputies entered the plenary hall and demanded the constitution proceed.

The post Clash in Parliament: PDK and AAK demand session restart, LVV conditions on agreement, LDK absent appeared first on Albeu.com.

The Democratic Party of Kosovo has issued a strong appeal for the restoration of constitutional normalcy, directly addressing the session chair, Avni Dehari, not to keep the process of forming the new Parliament blocked any longer. According to the PDK, the constitutive session must resume without further delays.

In a press release, this political force points out that Dehari’s role, as the oldest MP presiding over the first meeting, is strictly framed by constitutional provisions, Constitutional Court decisions, and the legislature’s Rules of Procedure.

“Mr. Dehari, we remind you that your mandate as chair of this session is clear and limited, as defined by the Constitution, the practice of the Constitutional Court, and the Assembly’s rules,” the PDK states in its response.

The party emphasizes that his main obligation consists of ensuring the smooth running of the session until the complete conclusion of the constitutive procedures. The PDK also insists that it is not up to the temporary chair to make decisions based on perceptions or political calculations.

“You do not have the authority, guided by judgments or politically motivated motives, to determine the fate or the calendar of the Parliament’s constitution,” continues the Democratic Party’s statement.

At the end of its reaction, the PDK delivered a clear and symbolic message, closing with the call: “Think – OPEN THE PARLIAMENT!”.

The post PDK calls on Avni Dehari: The constitutive session of the Parliament must continue without delay appeared first on Albeu.com.

The political and institutional crisis in Kosovo has deepened after the latest suspension of the constitutive session of the Assembly.

The possibility of an agreement between political parties has returned to the discussion after the leader of the Vetëvendosje Movement, Albin Kurti, asked for more time to reach a deal with other parties. However, alongside compromise, the scenario of new elections remains open.

Tensions escalated during the last parliamentary session when Alliance deputy Time Kadrijaj threw eggs at Kurti. After the incident, the session chair, Avni Dehari, called for security to intervene.

The continuous political clashes and incidents in the Assembly hall have raised the dilemma of whether the parties will find a way to make the institutions functional or whether Kosovo will enter another electoral cycle.

Vuniqi: The quorum is being used for political battle and not as a constitutional principle

Commenting on developments for “Bota sot,” commentator Agim Vuniqi assesses that the quorum is turning into a tool of conflict between parties.

According to him, the current stances of the opposition entities contradict their previous actions, when they even struck political agreements with the Serb List to create majorities in the Assembly.

Vuniqi says the contradiction of Kosovar politics is clearly seen when today’s behavior is compared with that of the past. Parties that now refuse an agreement to overcome the quorum deadlock in electing the President had previously cooperated politically with the Serb List for co-governance.

He recalls that the same entities, through the Serb List, had secured the quorum and the necessary votes for the establishment of the Specialist Chambers. In that case, legal and constitutional changes were approved in accordance with the legislation in force for the period with which the charges against former KLA leaders are linked, among them Hashim Thaçi and others.

But today, according to Vuniqi, these parties expect the Vetëvendosje Movement to propose the presidential candidate and, at the same time, to secure the votes for his election on its own, without receiving any prior political commitment for support.

The commentator argues that such a request cannot be called a parliamentary compromise, because the entire burden of finding the votes is imposed on the entity that won the elections.

In essence, he says, Vetëvendosje is being asked to present the candidate and then find the formula to elect him alone. Vuniqi considers this a complete transfer of responsibility to the winner, while the opposition continues to preserve the possibility of blocking the process.

He points out that Vetëvendosje has shown signs of being ready for a compromise solution, not excluding the possibility that the post of Assembly Speaker or that of the President be included in a consensual agreement.

Such a formula, according to Vuniqi, would not be unknown to Kosovo’s constitutional practice. He cites the example of the election of Atifete Jahjaga, when the crisis was overcome through political compromise of the parliamentary forces, after the Constitutional Court’s intervention in the presidential election process in the Pacolli case.

Vuniqi admits that the current context does not fully match the circumstances of that time, either legally or politically. Nevertheless, according to him, this precedent shows that in a parliamentary democracy compromise does not represent weakness, but serves as a mechanism for putting institutions into motion.

For the commentator, the issue is not whether compromise should happen, but why it is accepted when it suits the interest of one side and opposed when it aims to overcome the institutional blockade.

If political agreements were deemed acceptable for creating governments, building parliamentary majorities, and approving decisions with constitutional and historical consequences, Vuniqi says it is difficult to argue that they cannot be used merely for electing the President.

In conclusion, he warns that the lack of consistency in political standards risks turning the quorum into a blocking instrument.

According to Vuniqi, political credibility is based on consistency. In its absence, double standards are created, while the quorum, from a constitutional mechanism guaranteeing legitimacy, transforms into a tool for obstructing political competition. For this reason, he raises the question of whether the spirit of the Constitution is being protected or whether constitutional procedure is being put in the service of political war.

Halili: Deepening crisis could lead the country to new elections

Professor Nijazi Halili, in a statement to “Bota sot,” says the developments can no longer be seen simply as clashes over procedures, because the country is facing a serious political crisis.

According to him, the repeated suspensions of the constitutive session show a lack of willingness to compromise. Halili assesses that the parties are using the process of institution-building as a continuation of the electoral race, even though their main task is the functioning of the state.

He also considers the incidents that have occurred inside the Assembly as worrying and unacceptable. When parliamentary discussion is replaced by provocative acts, the professor says, political tension goes beyond the boundaries of democratic competition, weakens the authority of the institution, and increases citizens’ distrust of politics.

Halili believes that space for a political agreement continues to exist, but this requires the parties to give up ultimatums, personal interests, and constant attempts to shift blame to the opponent.

If political leaders fail to produce an institutional compromise, he estimates that holding new elections would not come as a surprise, but would be the direct result of this political failure.

According to Halili, no entity is exempt from responsibility for unblocking the institutions, although the heaviest burden belongs to the parties that secured the highest number of votes from citizens.

Nijazi Halili concluded for “Bota sot” that Kosovo cannot remain hostage to party conflicts and bargaining. He stressed that institutions do not belong to parties, but are mechanisms of the state in the service of citizens. The responsibility for making them functional, according to him, falls on all political subjects and especially on those that received the largest mandate from the citizens.

The post Parliamentary deadlock and political tensions: Is Kosovo preparing for new elections? appeared first on Albeu.com.

The constitutive session of Parliament resumed an hour late and ended after just a few minutes. Nevertheless, even this brief period was marked by tensions, particularly after LVV leader Albin Kurti took the podium.

During his speech, Kurti did not put forward a candidate for the post of parliamentary speaker, but requested more time to reach a political agreement.

After returning to his seat in the central part of the chamber, Alliance MP Time Kadrijaj approached him and threw eggs in Kurti’s direction. Following the incident, the chair of the session decided to suspend Parliament’s proceedings.

Below are several photographs taken by Reuters documenting the tense moments of today’s session in Parliament.

The post Tensions in Parliament session, all captured in photographs appeared first on Albeu.com.

Before the session began, Hekuran Murati, a deputy from the Vetëvendosje Movement, said that the meeting called today, following the expiration of the 30-day deadline, was fully in line with the Constitution.

Murati argued that the Constitution requires the constitution of the Assembly of Kosovo, citing last year as an example, when April 26 was the final deadline, while the process was completed in October.

“The session is fully constitutional. The Constitution requires the Assembly of Kosovo to be constituted. If you remember last year, April 26 was the final date, but it was constituted in October,” Murati said.

The continuation of the constitutive session of the Assembly of Kosovo has been scheduled for Saturday, today, at 11:00. The former opposition parties had requested that the meeting be held yesterday afternoon, arguing that the 30-day constitutional deadline for constituting the legislative institution expired at midnight.

In the June 7 elections, LVV secured 53 deputies, PDK 22, LDK 18 and the Alliance 7.

The post Murati Calls Today’s Session Fully Constitutional appeared first on Albeu.com.