The Vetëvendosje Movement has invited the two largest opposition parties, the Democratic Party and the Democratic League, to come up with three joint, non-partisan and unifying names for president by Sunday evening. The largest party has pledged to withdraw its candidacies and offer PDK and LDK signatures for their proposals. So far, PDK has announced that it is rejecting the proposal, while LDK has said that if Vetëvendosje guarantees them 66 votes, they will nominate Vjosa Osmani.
Kryeziu-Hyseni: Abdixhiku is seeking both a political agreement and a party president
Vetëvendosje Movement MP Arbëreshë Kryeziu-Hyseni has criticized the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, for, according to her, contradictory positions and double demands in relation to the parliamentary majority.
Kryeziu-Hyseni described Abdixhiku's proposal that the LDK could nominate Vjosa Osmani for president if the leader of the LVV, Albin Kurti, secures 66 votes, as a "party proposal", unlike the ruling party's request that this morning came out with a new offer, asking the PDK and LDK to nominate three non-party candidates.
"Honorable MP and LDK leader Abdixhiku, I don't know if our Prime Minister Kurti will respond and when. You declared the period for a political agreement with the LVV closed on Monday, April 20. You even declared that you will not meet again! Today, before the start of the session, you had a conversation with the PDK leader Hamza. Now, with 15 votes that you don't have, you are asking for both a political agreement and a party president of the LDK!", she wrote on Facebook.
Kryeziu-Hyseni has requested that three names be proposed that are "unifying figures with high civic and national integrity."
"3 names that are unifying figures, with high civic and national integrity, with proven contribution to professional and social life, and outside the current political scene - This was LVV's new offer.
We are convinced that after the ideal solution, i.e. Murat Jashari, the best and most capable candidate with broad popular support for President of the Republic is Glauk Konjufca, who was voted for by 318 thousand citizens - compare this with the entire vote of the LDK, for which 126 thousand citizens voted, i.e. 2.5 times less! ", she expressed.
She added that this is an offer for a solution.
"With 3 candidates in the race that you would propose together with PDK as the opposition, we would be clearly over 80 MPs as the threshold for a quorum. This was an offer for the opposition to take the flag for finding 3 consensual candidates, with national merit and values, while the Movement is supporting you to carry out this act. So, you, together with the proposal of candidates, support us. This is an offer for a solution, and any refusal or different stance shows that you do not want a solution, but a choice", concluded Kryeziu-Hyseni.
Hamza: Kurti is seeking our support for power, not for the state
The leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Bedri Hamza, has accused Prime Minister Albin Kurti of an irresponsible approach and attempts to secure political support for government interests.
In a video address on Facebook on Saturday evening, Hamza criticized the way in which, according to him, the presidential election process and relations with the opposition are being handled.
"We are seeing again attempts to blame the opposition for the failure of the presidential election. What we saw was not reflection, but only a change of form. From the previous insults to us as the opposition, yesterday we heard political moralizing. For almost two years, the country has been facing political blockades, not for lack of opportunities, but as a result of this irresponsible governance," he declared.
Hamza emphasized that, according to him, the lack of political cooperation has contributed to the deepening of the institutional crisis in the country.
"Every responsible political leader stops, reflects, cooperates, especially in moments when the country needs it most. Kurti has done the opposite for years. Now he too is seeking submission, not cooperation. He is aligning our support not for the state, but for his power," Hamza added.
He has described Kurti's latest offer for PDK and LDK to offer three non-partisan candidates as frivolous.
"Even today, instead of reflection, the usual blame and manipulation continue. Last-minute 'offers' are nothing more than a political game to justify themselves to citizens, not a serious effort to offer solutions. Our position has been, is and remains principled," he concluded.
Analysts: LVV's proposal, political tactic
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The Vetevendosje Movement's (LVV) proposal for the opposition to come up with three names for president, just three days before the expiration of the constitutional deadline for electing the head of state, has been described by analysts as a political maneuver.
Artan Muhaxhiri says that the action was taken to build a narrative that can be used in the campaign, to blame the opposition for the failure of the presidential election.
"The offer of Prime Minister Kurti and the LVV is completely unclear because it is not said that one candidacy from the three proposed ones will be automatically accepted, but it is a conditional method, so there is a condition, a filter from the LVV for it to be accepted. One more thing that is very important - such offers are in no way made publicly initially, but they must be discussed, to be balanced through meetings, one-on-one between the leaders," said Muhaxhiri.
Political expert Donika Emini has also described the proposal as a political tactic.
"This is a well-thought-out step, however, by Mr. Kurti, because the LVV controls the process. The parties were invited to nominate candidates, but he had promised the nomination and offered it to Ms. Osmani. It is not only the nomination that is a problem, it is also the political support that these candidates will have. So there is no guarantee that these candidates will have political support from the LVV," said Emini.
She raised the need for the opposition to test Vetëvendosje by fielding candidates for president.
"They have three nominations, the third can have one candidate, propose them and test the sincerity of the LVV in the Assembly through votes. Then, even if there is a new electoral process, it will not be the opposition that will be considered the blocker, which had the golden opportunity for three candidates and did not use it," said Emini.
But, PDK rejected the offer, and LDK made it conditional.
Analyst Muhaxhiri says that early elections are inevitable.
"It is terrible that we are going to new elections, because I see no way out of this deadlock without new elections. So, our politicians have shown great offense in relation to the citizens of Kosovo, to the great crisis because they have been completely negligent, indifferent to this crisis, to the needs of the citizens and because of their stubbornness, without any distinction, we are sending the country towards new elections," he said.
Within a period of just over a year, Kosovo has held four voting processes: Regular elections were held in February 2025, then regular local elections, a month later a runoff was held between the most voted candidates for mayor, and at the end of the year, early national elections were held.
LVV offers. PDK refuses. LDK conditions.
The Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) has made an offer to the two main opposition parties, the Democratic Party (PDK) and the Democratic League (LDK), to provide three proposals for president and has pledged to provide signatures to formalize the candidacies and even to vote for one of the candidates. The offer was published on Saturday, three days before the constitutional deadline for electing the president expires.
The PDK has rejected the offer. The LDK has conditioned the offer of a candidate, mentioning Vjosa Osmani as a specific name, who concluded her five-year presidential mandate this month.
The new position was given by the LVV on Saturday, but based on the media release, it was taken at the meeting of the Presidency that this party held on Friday evening. The release emphasized that in the situation created around the election of the President and the great damage that an unnecessary and repeated electoral process would cause to the country, the LVV has undertaken a series of concrete steps to find a solution.
"Despite our numerous and generous proposals, the response we have received has only been rejection. In these circumstances, to avoid another electoral process that does not resolve anything, and to preserve institutional stability, the Vetëvendosje! Movement takes another step with a new, concrete and unifying proposal. We invite PDK and LDK to jointly propose three names, from which the new President of the 10th legislature could be elected," the announcement states.
According to LVV, these three candidates must be unifying figures, with high civic and national integrity, with proven contribution to professional and social life, and outside the current political scene.
"For these three, at least 90 signatures of deputies of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo would be secured. In that case, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Glauk Konjufca and MP Dr. Fatmire Mulhaxha-Kollçaku would first withdraw from the candidacy," the announcement says. "Time is limited. Due to constitutional deadlines, we expect a response from the opposition entities by Sunday evening."
The announcement states the need for a solution to be found, and states that it is possible.
"We must strive and engage together, because it is our duty that stems from the responsibility that the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo have entrusted to us," the announcement emphasized.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who leads the LVV, said that he is waiting for the PDK and LDK to put together a list of three names as presidential candidates.
During an event to inaugurate the "Korishë-Kabash" road, Kurti said that "the two oldest parties can recognize senior figures in society better" than LVV.
"Many professors in universities, there are many people who have contributed and are contributing and have sacrificed for our country and they cannot tell us that the two oldest parties cannot come up with three names", declared Prime Minister Kurti. "Now we are no longer proposing. It is the opposition's turn and it is a pity that they have not told me any names. But let them not tell me. Let them tell each other and the citizens. We will provide them with signatures and on Monday we will move forward".
After the constitution of the legislature resulting from the December 28 elections, Kurti held separate meetings with the PDK leader, Bedri Hamza, and the LDK leader, Lumir Abdixhiku, regarding finding a consensual candidate for president. An agreement was not reached until March 5, when it was thought to be the last day for the election of the president, when the LVV proposed two candidates – exponents of this party: the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Glauk Konjufca, and the MP Fatmire Mulhaxha-Kollçaku. The vote did not take place, as the first two rounds of the process require the participation of at least 80 MPs in the vote, but the session was boycotted by the PDK, the LDK, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the Serbian List (LS).
The next day, Osmani issued a decree to dissolve the Assembly, but it was contested in the Constitutional Court by the Government and Vetëvendosje MPs, and then the court declared it without legal effect and gave MPs until next Tuesday to elect a president, when it will be exactly two months since the tenth legislature has been actively exercising its mandate.
After the Constitutional Court's decision, Kurti held meetings only with Abdixhiku. They did not result in an agreement on the president and it was agreed that there would be no more meetings to find a solution. The same day, at a meeting of the Steering Council, PDK declared its contribution to the presidential negotiation process closed.
PDK has rejected Saturday's offer to, together with LDK, offer three candidacies for president.
Hamza called the new proposal he published a maneuver by Prime Minister Kurti. He emphasized that the president's issue with PDK is "closed."
"We are different parties. PDK and LDK are separate entities. AAK is separate. It has not invited him at all. There are other offers with LDK, we have discussed the president with PDK. It is not a matter of individual comfort, but a serious issue that could have been discussed at the table when we were together, but there was no seriousness from LVV and there is none now," Hamza said in the Parliament lobby, before the extraordinary session.
In previous discussions, PDK had proposed that this entity provide two names for president and that Vetëvendosje support them.
And, the LDK has conditioned the offering of candidacies.
Abdixhiku has said that he will nominate Vjosa Osmani for president if LVV guarantees 66 votes for him.
"Honorable Prime Minister Kurti, since we are communicating remotely, please decide whether you want a political agreement with the LDK, or do you want 90 votes with the PDK as well. If it is the latter and you cannot do without them, then we cannot help you. When you come to an agreement, we will handle it," Abdixhiku wrote on Facebook. "But, if you want a political agreement with the LDK, then talk to us. We propose the president with full responsibility. We can also propose Vjosa Osmani, if you guarantee us 66 votes for her."
Previously, during a statement in Parliament, the LDK leader accused Prime Minister Kurti of not wanting a political agreement with this party.
"As far as we understand, Kurti is asking for 90 votes. So LDK cannot get 90 votes, which means he is also asking for cooperation with PDK. Last year, when I proposed the unity government, you remember how they told me: 'you can't do it without PDK'. It seems that this time he can't do it without PDK," Abdixhiku said. "If he wanted only with LDK, we have been in discussions, we have had long discussions about a political agreement between our two entities. If he wants only with PDK, let them connect, let them make those 75 votes. If it remains at LDK's 15 votes, let's sit down and talk. But, if he wanted a political agreement with LDK and wants a political agreement with LDK, then LDK can propose names. We don't need to propose three, we propose one. It could also be Vjosa Osmani, but let him show us the 66 votes for this name."
In the process of negotiations for the president, AAK has not been invited by Prime Minister Kurti. For about a month, this party has proposed to offer a joint candidate for president with PDK and LDK, but these political entities have not responded to the invitation.
And, the leader of the AAK, Ramush Haradinaj, has described the LVV offer as a mockery of the citizens. He has said that the proposal is not credible.
"We are two days away from the constitutional deadline. It is understandable that Kurti's game, his strategy will continue with these actions," said Haradinaj, before the extraordinary session of the Parliament. "What he is saying today, he could have said on the first day. This is a game and a mockery of the citizens and these offers are not credible and no one knows if he is implementing what he is saying or if he is trying to cover up his guilt for sending the country to elections."
The deadline for electing a president ends on April 28. If no one is elected, the Assembly is automatically dissolved, and in such a situation the Constitution requires that early elections be held within 45 days. Based on these deadlines, the earliest date when Kosovars would head to the ballot boxes is June 7.
Abdixhiku meets Osmani after new developments on the president's issue
Photo-illustration: TIME
The leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, held a meeting with former president Vjosa Osmani on Saturday afternoon, as the country enters the final three days to avoid new parliamentary elections, the Kosova Press news agency reported with sources.
The meeting comes after new developments on the presidential issue, where Abdixhiku has mentioned Osmani as one of the possible names for the post of president as a proposal from the party he leads.
Earlier in the day, the Vetëvendosje Movement called on the LDK and the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) to propose three joint, non-partisan, unifying candidates for president by Sunday evening. The ruling party has pledged to withdraw its candidacies and support the opposition's proposals with the necessary signatures.
However, the PDK has already rejected this proposal.
Meanwhile, Abdixhiku has requested from Prime Minister Albin Kurti a guarantee to secure 66 votes from VV in the event that LDK proposes Osmani for president.
The Kosovo Assembly has until April 28 to elect a new president.
Abdixhiku-Kurti: We propose Vjosa Osmani if you guarantee us 66 votes for her
Photo-illustration: TIME
The leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, has once again responded to Prime Minister Albin Kurti's offer, saying that they will nominate Vjosa Osmani for president if the Vetëvendosje Movement guarantees 66 votes for her.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Abdixhiku stressed that Kurti must decide whether he aims for cooperation with the LDK or securing 90 votes in the Assembly even with the involvement of the PDK. According to him, if the second option remains the only one, then the LDK cannot offer support.
"Honorable Prime Minister Kurti, since we are communicating remotely, please decide whether you want a political agreement with the LDK, or do you want 90 votes with the PDK as well. If it is the latter and you cannot do without them, then we cannot help you. When you come to an agreement, we will deal with it," he wrote.
But if Kurti wants an agreement with LDK, Abdixhiku has expressed his willingness to propose Osman's name for president if VV guarantees votes for him.
"But, if you want a political agreement with the LDK, then talk to us. We propose the president with full responsibility. We can also propose Vjosa Osmani, if you guarantee us 66 votes for her," the LDK leader further wrote.
Today, the Vetëvendosje Movement has invited the two largest opposition parties, the Democratic Party and the Democratic League, to come up with three joint, non-partisan and unifying names for president by Sunday evening. The largest party has pledged to withdraw its candidacies and offer PDK and LDK signatures for their proposals. So far, PDK has announced that it is rejecting the proposal.
Abdixhiku: LDK has 15 votes for its proposal, Kurti can't do it without PDK
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Lumir Abdixhiku, has accused the Prime Minister and the leader of Vetëvendosje, Albin Kurti, of not wanting a political agreement with the LDK for the post of president. He said that this party has 15 votes of its deputies at its disposal, if an agreement is reached with the VV and the LDK gives its proposal for president. And as a proposal, he mentioned that Vjosa Osmani could also be it.
Abdixhiku said in a statement to the media that Vetëvendosje, with the proposal that PDK and LDK come up with three names, "is asking Kurti for 90 votes."
"As far as we understand, Kurti is asking for 90 votes. So LDK cannot get 90 votes, which means he is also asking for cooperation with PDK. Last year, when I proposed the unity government, you remember how they told me 'you can't do it without PDK'. It seems that this time he can't do it without PDK," Abdixhiku said. "If he wanted only with the LDK, we have been in discussions, we have had long discussions about a political agreement between our two entities. If he wants only with the PDK, let them connect, let them make those 75 votes; if it remains to the LDK's 15 votes, let's sit down and talk. But, if he wanted a political agreement with the LDK and wants a political agreement with the LDK, then the LDK can propose names. We don't need to propose three, we propose one. It could also be Vjosa Osmani, but let him show us the 66 votes for this name."
Haradinaj on the VV proposal: Kurti's game
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, has called Vetëvendosje's proposal for the Democratic Party and the Democratic League to come up with three names for president a mockery of the citizens.
According to Haradinaj, this proposal is not credible.
"We are two days away from the constitutional deadline. It is understandable that Kurti's game, his strategy will continue with these actions," said Haradinaj, before the extraordinary session of the Kosovo Assembly. "What he is saying today, he could have said on the first day. This is a game and a mockery of the citizens and these offers are not credible and no one knows if he is implementing what he is saying or if he is trying to cover up his guilt for sending the country to elections."
Kurti: We have withdrawn from the proposals, we are waiting for three names from PDK and LDK
Photo: Driton Pacharada
Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said that he is waiting for the Democratic Party and the Democratic League to put together a list of three names for president.
From a ceremony for the "Korishë-Kabash" road, Kurti said that he expects the two parties to release non-partisan names and that after the publication of these three names, the two Vetëvendosje candidates for president would withdraw.
Repeating the proposal that Vetëvendosje made public earlier in the day, Kurti said that "the two oldest parties may know senior figures in society better than we do."
"They know the senior figures in Kosovar society even better than we do. There are many professors in universities, there are many people who have contributed and are contributing and have sacrificed for our country and they cannot tell us that the two oldest parties cannot come up with three names," he declared. "Now we are no longer proposing. It is the opposition's turn and it is a pity that they have not told me any names. But let them not tell me. Let them tell each other and the citizens. We will provide them with signatures and on Monday we will move forward."
PDK will not propose names for president
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Bedri Hamza, has announced that his party will not propose names for president, following Vetëvendosje's offer for PDK and LDK to present three names for presidential candidates.
He called the new VV proposal a maneuver by Prime Minister Albin Kurti.
Hamza said that the president's case for PDK is "closed".
He described the new proposal as not at all serious.
"We are different parties. PDK and LDK are separate entities. AAK is separate. It has not invited him at all. There are other offers with LDK, we have discussed the president with PDK. It is not a matter of individual comfort, but a serious issue that could have been discussed at the table when we were together, but there was no seriousness from VV and there is none now," he said in the Parliament lobby before the extraordinary session.
In previous discussions, PDK had proposed that this entity provide two names for president and that Vetëvendosje support them.
LDK's Mustafa hits back at VV: Propose three names for president with PDK
Democratic League of Kosovo MP Besian Mustafa has responded to Vetëvendosje's proposal that the LDK and the Democratic Party propose three non-partisan names for president.
In a post on Facebook, he made the same proposal for LVV and PDK.
"I invite LVV and PDK to jointly propose 3 names for President, candidates outside the current political scene. Together they would easily elect the President with 88 votes (LVV 66 + PDK 22). Due to constitutional deadlines, I am waiting for them until midnight tomorrow," he wrote.
VV invites PDK and LDK for president: Propose three unifying names, Konjufca and Mulhaxha withdraw
Photo: Driton Pacharada
The Vetëvendosje Movement has invited the two opposition parties, the Democratic Party and the Democratic League, to propose three names for president, offering all the signatures of this party's MPs and withdrawing the candidacies of Glauk Konjufca and Fatmire Mulhaxha.
In a statement on Saturday, the LVV announced that at its Presidency meeting on Friday evening, it decided to take "another step with a new, concrete and unifying proposal."
In the invitation to the two parties, VV said that candidates should be unifying figures, with high integrity and outside the current political scene.
"We invite PDK and LDK to jointly propose three names, from which the new President of the 10th legislature could be elected. These three candidates must be unifying figures, with high civic and national integrity, with proven contribution in professional and social life, and outside the current political scene. For these three, at least 90 signatures of deputies of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo would be secured. In that case, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Glauk Konjufca and MP Dr. Fatmire Mulhaxha-Kollçaku would previously withdraw from the candidacy," the VV statement reads.
The Assembly has until April 28 to elect a president, or Kosovo will go to new parliamentary elections. VV has said that because of this deadline, it expects a response from PDK and LDK by Sunday evening (April 26).
"A solution must be found, because it is possible. We must try and engage together, because it is our duty that stems from the responsibility that the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo have entrusted to us," the announcement states.
Lawmakers in Kosovo have had over a month to elect a new president since March 25, after the Constitutional Court overturned a decree by former President Vjosa Osmani to dissolve the Assembly, following the failure to elect a president in a session on March 5.
The President of Kosovo is elected with two-thirds of the votes in the first two rounds, or with 61 votes in the third round, while at least 80 deputies are needed in the hall for the session to be held.
VV leader Albin Kurti has had several meetings with PDK and LDK leaders. They failed. The opposition accuses Kurti of wanting all the key positions for himself, while Kurti has said that he has also offered them government positions or the speakership in exchange for votes for the president.
The deadline for electing a president ends on April 28. If he is not elected, Kosovo will go to new elections within 45 days.