site.btaKosovo Fails to Constitute Parliament in “Final” Attempt, Emergency Session Scheduled

For the 53rd time, Kosovo’s MPs have failed in their attempt to elect a parliamentary speaker and formally constitute the new legislature following the February elections, the news website Koha.net reported on Saturday.

Kosovo has been unable for months to elect a new speaker of parliament or form a government after parliamentary elections were held on February 9 this year. On June 26, the Constitutional Court ruled that MPs must constitute the new parliament within the following 30 days. Failure to do so would constitute a breach of both the constitutional and public order of the country.

Although Saturday’s vote for speaker was supposed to be the final one, another emergency session has been scheduled for 10:00 p.m.

The ruling left-wing nationalist party, Vetevendosje (Self-Determination Movement, or LVV), led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, which won the February elections, is standing firmly behind its nominee for speaker, acting Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu, and also continues to push for a shift from open to secret ballot voting to reduce pressure on MPs.

Neither the nomination of Haxhiu nor the motion to change the voting procedure has so far secured the required 61 votes in the 120-seat parliament. Vetevendosje won 48 seats in the election, but opposition parties from the previous parliament have refused to cooperate with Kurti and his party.