Kosovo’s Lëvizja Vetëvendosje (LVV) party has called on President Hashim Thaçi to stop the “pressure” and “political assessments” regarding the creation of the new government.
In a reply to Thaçi’s multiple calls for LVV to present him with the name of the prime minister-designate as soon as possible, LVV leader Albin Kurti argued that it was not Thaçi’s duty to put deadlines on political parties that have won elections.
Kurti argued that the only constitutional deadline related the time after the winning party proposes a name for prime minister to the president. In 15 days the party should get the parliament’s backing for the new government.
Kosovo’s new parliament was constituted nearly three months after elections, on December 26. Since then, Thaçi has repeatedly called on LVV to submit the name for prime minister-designate. Kurti and Thaçi met on January 6, after which the latter gave LVV two days for that purpose. After the “deadline” had passed, he called on LVV to submit a name as soon as possible, while suggesting that otherwise he could assign another party to form the government.
LVV won the Kosovo general elections in October with 29 of the 120 seats. Opposition’s Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) came second, with 28 parliamentary seats. Together they can have the necessary 61 votes for the new government.
The two former opposition parties have been in talks for three months but have not reached an agreement on a coalition government.
In his letter, Kurti wrote that his party is not wasting any time but it is in constant negotiations with other political parties to form the country’s new government.
He added that he will present the President with his party’s proposal for prime minister as soon as possible.
