Early elections on the horizon for Kosovo?

As if a pair of early elections were not enough last December, and a total missing legislative year as was 2025 political parties in Kosovo risk starting election campaigns again within weeks, since they are not finding consensus on a name for president of the country.

There are only five days until the deadline for Kosovo's Assembly to vote to elect the new president, otherwise, according to the Constitution, it is distributed and new elections announced.

The current president, Vjosa Osmani, expires five-year term on April 4th, but the Parliament must vote for the president for the new mandate most distant by 4 March.

The president has announced the intention of an additional mandate, but the necessary votes appear to be out of reach.

She won the first mandate with the Vetevendosje Movement proposal (LVV), but this party now does not mention its name. Opposition parties have criticised her on occasion that she has been single in the best interests of LVV and does not seem to have the mood to vote for another mandate.

But these parties are not even mentioning other potential names for the president's position.

So far it is known that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, leader of the ruling party Vetevendosje (LVV), has met separately with leaders of the main opposition parties: Bedri Hamza of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and Lumir Abdixhiku of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK).

Progress after meetings did not.

Analyst Nundman Pacarizi, professor at the Journalism Department at Pristina University, tells Radio Free Europe (REL) that lack of transparency questions the political parties' seriousness to elect the new president on time.

“There may be a hidden will among political parties, including the largest party, Vetevendosje Movement, so that the country can go back to the elections”, says Pajarizi.

No party names, though The PDK said days ago it had one, but did not identify it by name.

Kurti claimed days ago that he was making “any effort” to avoid early elections, but did not show who his candidate would be, nor if he backed President Osmani.

Who was mentioned in this position?

Days ago, the possibility of a hero Adem Jashari's family at the head of the state, including by Deputy Prime Minister Glauk Konjufca.

However, members of this family have made it clear to the media that they have no ambition for this position.

In contrast, former Public Administration and Education Minister Edsim Bajrami has expressed readiness to become president.

Likewise, readiness has expressed weeks ago also the chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, but other parties have not given support.

To propose a candidate for president must provide 30 parliamentary signatures, while LVV alone has 57 Sosh.

Candidate choice requires at least 80 votes in one of the first two, or 61 in the third, out of 120 votes total.

What are the odds of a deal?

There are reports that Kurt can meet Hamza and Abdixhik again on Friday in an effort to reach an agreement.

According to Parisi, the odds of a deal don't look that good.

The “will likely agree, but since we haven't had public meetings between opposition party leaders to coordinate or reconcile for a name that Mr. Kurti would come to the table... Doesn't seem like there can be a deal today”.

However, he does not rule out that Friday's possible meeting can produce <x0-> movement forward, reconciliation for principles at the time when Jashars have refused and at the time when we do not know Kurti's approach to President Osmani”.

According to him, more than anything, the issue complicates the lack of co-ordination among opposition parties for a name, which could be submitted to Prime Minister Kurti.

“The PDK and LDK for the candidate, rather than that Kurti would accept a consensus candidate for whom opposition parties would agree. I see more of the problem with opposition parties than in the report with Kurti in that sense”, he adds.

Thus, Kosovo risks facing elections, not even a month after it became with the new Government.

That would be another blow to the country, as these would be the second early elections within months.

Civil society organisations have called for such a process to be avoided, demanding that civic interest be placed before that party. / REL