(Updated text) - The meeting between Prime Minister Albin Kurti and the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, where they discussed the issue of the president, ended without results.
After the meeting, which lasted about an hour, the leader of the LDK said that they agreed not to meet again.
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Letter to the Reader — Why We're Asking for Your Support ContributeHe stressed that at the meeting, they were offered the position of Deputy Prime Minister and 4 ministers, or the position of Speaker of the Parliament, for agreement, but added that they did not accept it, as he considers that this "is not a separation of powers."
He said that the LDK considers this issue closed for discussion.
"We will prepare for the worst, most difficult and most incomprehensible scenario of new and extraordinary elections. From the beginning, the principles have been clear, the president of Kosovo cannot be an extension of the Government. There cannot be a government that has a president from one party and thus have three institutions ... I tried, I tried, I failed and now we return to the LDK", Abdixhiku emphasized. "We have not requested any position for the LDK or for me. With that, in these circumstances, the LDK cannot do more. The LDK leaves the discussion with other parties open. We have not heard any other proposal except that the president be from Vetëvendosje. The LDK considers this issue closed from this moment on."
The leader of the LDK said that Kurti insisted that the position of president remain with Vetëvendosje.
"We agreed not to meet again and we don't have to meet. From this moment on, I consider this issue closed... We were discussing the president. I cannot propose someone who insists that the president remain from his party. With LDK, Vetëvendosje has not discussed any name except Konjufca," Abdixhiku said.
He stated that Vjosa Osmani's name has not been mentioned for president, adding that he intends to and is working towards rapprochement with her.
"The rapprochement would be good news for Kosovo and the LDK and it is my goal and I will work towards this goal until the last day," Abdixhiku said.
Kurti-Abdixhiku meeting begins
A meeting has begun between Prime Minister Albin Kurti and LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku, where the issue of the president will be discussed.
The meeting is being held in the Parliament premises, while both have not made any statements before the meeting.
Both Kurti and Abdixhiku have stated that they will speak to the media after the meeting.
At today's Government meeting, Kurti declared that going to the polls is not an option and that the election of the president requires uncompromising will and readiness.
There are still 8 days left until the Constitutional Court's deadline to complete the process of electing the president, otherwise elections will be held.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said that he believes that going to early elections is not an option and that electing a president requires will and willingness to compromise.
Kurti-Abdixhiku meet today, eight more days for the president
Prime Minister Albin Kurti and LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku will meet again today at 11:00 in the Parliament premises on the issue of electing the president. This announced meeting is the fifth in a row between them in function of this issue.
Acting President Albulena Haxhiu called on Sunday for intensified efforts to find a solution to the presidential issue. She stressed that this is a crucial week and that she welcomes any move by the parties towards compromise.
LVV MP Arbër Rexhaj has said that they are ready for compromise, however, he expects the parties to be more concrete in the final days of the constitutional deadline.
Unlike the LDK, the PDK has requested that Kurti formalize his request through a letter addressed to this party regarding the issue of the president, but PDK actors have stated that they have not yet received one.
The proposed candidate for this position, Glauk Konjufca, has said that Vetëvendosje would support a candidate on whom at least two opposition parties agree, after he himself expressed his willingness to withdraw from the candidacy.
Democratic League of Kosovo MP Lutfi Haziri has stated that his party and the Vetevendosje Movement are conducting consultations on an agreement regarding the election of the president.
According to him, the goal is to reach an agreement as soon as possible to ensure institutional functionality and avoid a political crisis.
The deadline set by the Constitutional Court to elect a president ends on April 28. Failure to successfully complete this process means elections will be held within 45 days.
After the December 28 elections, political entities have failed to find consensus on the president.
And, in the session to elect the head of state, which was boycotted by the opposition, Konjufca was initially proposed by Vetëvendosje, and then Fatmire Kollçaku-Mulhaxha. The session did not take place, since at the moment when the vote was supposed to take place, there were not at least 80 deputies in the hall, as required in the first and second rounds of the election.
Kurti: Abdixhiku rejected all our offers, Kosovo is heading towards elections
Photo: Driton Pacharada
Prime Minister Albin Kurti, after meeting with LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku, said that the talks were unsuccessful.
He said that none of the offers they made were accepted by Abdixhiku.
"We offered that the LDK, in co-government with the LVV and other partners, would have the Deputy Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and three other ministries. I preferred that Abdixhiku become my Deputy Prime Minister and that we start a new chapter," Kurti declared.
He said that Kosovo is heading towards elections, which he called unnecessary.
"In this way, Kosovo is heading towards new, unnecessary elections that waste the state's time and the Kosovo budget's resources. New elections will cost at least 1 million euros and will not bring a solution because we will not have the number of 80 MPs to form a quorum. We should have tried harder and our offer to govern should not have been rejected," Kurti declared.
He said that in explaining that VV should not have the three high institutional positions, they have made an offer for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly to be stoned.
"The Speaker of the Assembly, Haxhiu, would become the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, and in this way we would have the government and we would not need elections. Meanwhile, the LDK would chair the Assembly. We have not asked for votes for Konjufca, let them vote as they wish," Kurti said.
The leader of Vetëvendosje said that this was not accepted either, although according to him, it was an opportunity to say that the three high state positions are held by Vetëvendosje.
"Now we have no other offers, while nothing else was asked of us. You have heard Konjufca who said that I will withdraw if there is a consensual figure. We have not had Konjufca at all costs. We have never been interested in being in total in the three highest positions of the state, but since there was no proposal, it was our duty to propose. We cannot create a co-government in opposition to the will of the people. In addition, we are the only ones who have brought names. Only we are talking with specific names, the others are not", Kurti added.
He said that the LDK did not consider that it should be the president. "I cannot become more LDK than the LDK. There is no way I can offer something that they have not told me they want. We have proposed to the opposition someone they love more than me, Konjufca. He is the second most voted person in Kosovo."
He also spoke about discussions with PDK, saying that he has sent a message to the leader Bedri Hamza and that they will see how it is possible to move forward.
"The PDK has asked me to make a blank political agreement where they propose two candidates and we vote for them. I sent a message to the PDK leader, Bedri Hamza, and let's see how it is possible to move forward, but the offer for co-government that was offered to the LDK was exclusive to the LDK," Kurti emphasized.
He stressed that if PDK is serious, they should meet. "I was told that without a decision from the Constitutional Court, we do not meet, we had a decision but still did not meet. You know that MPs and party leaders have so many meetings, but somehow except with me. It is not a lack of seriousness and sincerity on my part. There is a kind of boycott," Kurti declared.