2021 has found the main institutions of Kosovo with acting or outgoing leaders.
Following the ruling of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo that found the voting in of the government invalid, the country is left with an outgoing Prime Minister until snap parliamentary elections take place.
The Prime Minister of Kosovo is elected by the Parliament, the country’s main institution which will soon be dissolved to open the way for the snap elections.
Since November 5, when former President Hashim Thaci resigned due to a war crimes indictment by the Hague-based Kosovo Specialist Chambers, the country has been left with an Acting President, Speaker of Parliament, Vjosa Osmani.
According the Constitution of Kosovo, the new president should get two-thirds (80/120) of votes in parliament. If none of the candidates manages to do so, a second round is held. In case a lack of support by 80 deputies persists, the president is elected with a simple majority (61) in a third vote between the two candidates that received the most votes in the second round (Art.86).
Kosovo’s Intelligence Agency is also left without its head following the joint decision of the outgoing Prime Minister Hoti and the Acting Persident, Osmani, to dismiss its director, Kreshnik Gashi on December 17.
Article 84 of the Constitution which lists the competences of the President states that the latter “alongside the Prime Minister, jointly appoints the Director, Deputy Director and Inspector General of Kosovo’s Intelligence Agency”.
Hoti also dismissed the Director General of Police, Rashit Qalaj on December 16.
Article 128 of the Constitution specifies that “the Prime Minister shall appoint the Police Director General of the Republic of Kosovo upon the recommendation of the Government and in accordance with law”.
Based on the Constitution, the Acting President held consultation meetings with representatives of political leaders to decide on an election date.
The date for country’s elections will be set after the Constitutional Court releases the full version of its verdict which ruled the government was voted in violation with Constitution.
