Bekim Sejdiu, considered one of the last possibilities for overcoming the deadlock surrounding the election of the president, has withdrawn his candidacy. He said he made the decision after failing to secure the necessary support from political parties, making the process of electing the head of state even more difficult.

Adnan Rrustemi, a lawmaker from the Vetëvendosje Movement, said his party would continue seeking a candidate acceptable to all sides, with the aim of preventing Kosovo from going to new elections.

In an interview with Ekonomia Online, Rrustemi said Sejdiu’s decision was respected, but argued that the professor’s withdrawal represented a missed opportunity for the country. He recalled that Sejdiu had made the reason for his withdrawal public and had informed Prime Minister Albin Kurti and LDK leader Abdixhiku.

Rrustemi said Sejdiu’s candidacy had been proposed as a consensual and nonpartisan figure following the agreement reached between LVV and LDK, which was the result of difficult negotiations. According to him, the decision was also linked to the refusal of 6 LDK lawmakers to support or implement the agreement. He added that such a president would bring an end to the political crisis related to this issue.

The LVV lawmaker described Sejdiu’s withdrawal as a blow to the process, particularly following the opposition to the agreement by, according to him, 6 LDK lawmakers. However, he stressed that this would not stop Vetëvendosje from seeking a candidate for president and trying to avoid fourth consecutive elections, which he described as unnecessary, costly and harmful.

Rrustemi said he had no information on whether a new invitation would be extended to opposition parties to discuss the presidency. He stressed that LVV had continuously invited political entities, while, according to him, LDK had responded, whereas PDK and the Alliance had not.

He underlined that the election of the president requires consensus and that no entity should use the process as a reason to obstruct the functioning of institutions. According to Rrustemi, the election of the president requires the support of 2/3 of the lawmakers in the Assembly of Kosovo, meaning it cannot be achieved by a single party.

Rrustemi confirmed that the search for a consensual figure would continue, but added that the process also requires readiness and political will from the other opposition parties. He called on parties and lawmakers to assume political and constitutional responsibility for maintaining institutional stability and not turn the election of the president into part of the confrontation between the ruling party and the opposition.

According to him, a cross-party and nonpartisan candidate would be the most appropriate solution for Kosovo and would make it possible to overcome the current political crisis.

During the interview, Rrustemi also spoke about the issue that the Democratic Party of Kosovo has referred to the Constitutional Court regarding the constitution of the Assembly.

He said he expected the Constitutional Court to confirm the continuation of the functioning of the central institutions. Rrustemi recalled that PDK had publicly called for the constitution of the Assembly, but after the process was completed, it opposed it and referred the matter to the Constitutional Court.

The LVV lawmaker said he expected the court to determine that the constitution of the Assembly had been unavoidable following the certification of the election results and that the work of the institutions should continue. He added that he did not expect the legal issue to affect possible talks on the election of the president, although he said it remained to be seen how the situation would develop.

Rrustemi described the election of the president as a primarily political process that depends on the will of parliamentary entities. He said that if the opposition parties showed a willingness to reach an agreement, he was convinced that a solution would be found.

However, he warned that the process would become more difficult if the other parties viewed the presidential issue as a means of obstructing Vetëvendosje’s governance and pushing the country toward elections, which, according to him, appeared to be their aim.

The post Rrustemi: Sejdiu’s candidacy was a missed opportunity, but a solution for president is still within reach appeared first on Albeu.com.