Recounting process towards end, ruling coalition expected to form

At the Election Results Counting Centre, a recount of the polls in which irregularities were found, though the process appears to be nearing its end.

Officials said the recounting of over 1,400 deployments is expected to be completed this Sunday to later leave behind the Certificate of results that would enable the ruling coalition “to reform between the Vetevendosje movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK)”.

Central Election Commission Chairman Valdete Daka says that after the recount is completed, the CEC is ready to certified the election results immediately.

“After the recount already ended, according to the Election Panel's decision on Ances and Paraseta, (PZAP) no longer has deadlines for complaints. So, the deadline is on the final day of recounting locations, and after that, if there's no other complaint, we're willing to prioritize results”, Valdete Daka says.

Coalition Agreement Immediately After Certificate of Results

The two political subjects that came first in the election, the Vetevendosje Movement as the winning party and the LDK, which follows it by a small margin, since the end of the October 6th elections are discussing within the working groups for harmonising programmes for the creation of the new government. The two groups say that already over 80% have harmonised the governing programme, while formalising the coalition and partitioning of governing positions are believed to take place after the meeting of the two leaders of the two political subjects, Albin Kurti and Isa Mustafafa. And this meeting took place Friday evening, but none of the politicians indicated details, if they agreed to separate government positions.

We had a constructive meeting with the LDK chairman, with whom we also had meetings of our working groups to harmonise the next governing programme. At this meeting we discussed the improvement of the election process and agreed that an hour after the results were certified, we hope and believe it will happen during the next week, we will meet and make the deal within three four days after that. So, we have agreed to negotiate immediately after the certificate of results, with my invitation and Mustafa's response given”, Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti, who is expected to be Kosovo's prime minister, said.

Even LDK leader Isa Mustafa said that after the certificate of results, he would sit at a meeting with Kurti and deal with the possibility of the coalition, but at no moment the coalition issue with Vetevendosje did not say as a job done. We had a meeting with Mr. Kurti before we certified the results. We assessed the process of harmonising government programmes that have taken place this period between the two political subjects of LDK and LVV, and concluded that much has been achieved in this respect, because many issues have been harmonised. We agreed that once the results are certified we can sit together with the teams to deal with the possibility of the ruling coalition, the government's joint establishment between our two political subjects”, Isa Mustafa said.

A reduction in ministry numbers expected

Vetevendosje and LDK working groups in harmonising the governing programme have agreed to reduce the number of ministries from 21 to 12 ministries so far. On the basis of Kosovo's constitution, at least one ministry should meet members of minorities, in this case Kosovo Serbs. Of the Kosovo Serbs is the only Serb list that has won the 10 seats reserved for Serbs in parliament and that will lead a ministry. However, Kosovo's new government will have the first challenge of dialogue with Serbia interrupted now a year ago. The resumption of dialogue is being sought by the US and the European Union.

US Ambassador to Kosovo Philip Kosnet, of local media, says the new government should have a more active approach in relation to dialogue with Serbia for reaching a final agreement.

The “Pause in the dialogue has not helped Kosovo economically or its international position. When it is formed, the new government should provide a new infusion of negotiations with Serbia. The United States will always stand behind Kosovo's sovereignty and independence, but, as Special Representative Matt Palmer recently said in Pristina, we cannot see a path to Kosovo's full integration into the international system without the involvement of a comprehensive agreement with Serbia in the” Philip Costett has said of the online Telegraph.

and EU office in Kosovo chief Natalia Apostolova says it is very important to resume dialogue with Serbia.

The government's “Funding takes place soon, new institutions focus on improving citizens' lives. For the EU, it's important that the new government quickly start work ahead. The EU will help Kosovo government as always. Very important is the resumption of dialogue with Belgrade”, says Natalia Apostolova.

Kosovo-Serbia dialogue was interrupted a year ago after the Kosovo government imposed a 100% tax on Serbian products as a sign of dissatisfaction with Serbia's aggressive diplomatic campaign against Kosovo recognition.