Political parties in Kosovo have not yet agreed on a candidate for president, and if this does not happen soon the country could go into snap elections.
Kosovo was left with an Acting President since November 5 when Hashim Thaci resigned after the indictment on war crimes was confirmed against him by The Hague- based Kosovo Specialist Chambers.
The Constitution of Kosovo specifies that the position of Acting President “may not be exercised for a period longer than six (6) months”, meaning that by April 2021 a new President should be elected.
The ruling Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) suggested that a meeting with political parties should take place, in order to find a possibility on electing the new President and avoiding elections.
“If we do not find a solution now, I am not sure we will find it after the elections, because we will not have a parliamentary majority,” stated LDK’s leader, Isa Mustafa during an interview with Klan Kosova television.
The other partner of the ruling coalition, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) considers its leader Ramush Haradinaj as the only candidate for president.
“With my candidacy we have given an option in addition to [snap] elections,” Haradinaj told T7 Prishtina- based TV last week.
The opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) on the other side, gave signals that will not vote Haradinaj or any other candidate coming from political parties.
“We demand that with the votes of PDK this mandate belongs to the candidate of the Democratic Party of Kosovo. We have no votes for the candidates of other parties,” the acting president of PDK said in an interview for Klan Kosova.
Meanwhile the other opposition party Vetevendosje, did not move from its stance that snap elections are the only solution for Kosovo.
Based on Constitution, the President shall be elected by a two thirds majority out of 120 deputies of the Assembly.
If a two thirds majority is not reached by any candidate in the first two ballots, a third ballot takes place between the two candidates who received the highest number of votes in the second ballot, and the candidate who receives the majority of all deputies of the Assembly shall be elected.
If none of the candidates is elected, the Assembly shall dissolve and new elections shall take place within 45 days.
