The 44th attempt to create a new Assembly for Kosovo also fails

The members of the Kosovo Assembly have failed for the forty-fourth time in a row to constitute the ninth parliamentary composition, resulting from the February elections.

On July 9, lawmakers again refused to form a proposed commission to oversee a secret ballot for the new head of the legislative body.

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the Serbian List again refused, in the continuation of the constitutive session, on Wednesday, to propose a representative who would ensure the smooth conduct of the secret ballot.

They claim that the demand of the Vetevendosje Movement – ​​which won the majority of votes in the election – that the speaker of parliament be voted on through a secret ballot is unconstitutional, while the Vetevendosje Movement insists that the secret ballot is legitimate and wants to move forward.

The constitutive session will continue on Friday, July 11.

So far, MPs have only passed two items on the agenda of the constitutive session: the report of the Temporary Committee for the Verification of Mandates and the oath of MPs.

But the process has stalled at the third point: the election of the speaker of parliament.

LVV's candidate for Speaker of the Assembly, Albulena Haxhiu, failed to receive the 61 votes necessary to be confirmed in the post in several open votes.

Haxhiu of LVV is considered a divisive figure by two parliamentary parties: PDK and AAK.

These two entities have requested that LVV propose another name for the speaker of parliament. LDK, meanwhile, has said that it has no votes for any of LVV's nominees for the position of speaker of parliament.

The deputies must elect the president and five vice presidents to finally constitute the new Assembly.

Only after the constitution of the Assembly can the new Government be formed.

On June 26, the Constitutional Court of Kosovo asked MPs to constitute the Assembly within 30 days, but did not explain what could happen in case of non-compliance with its ruling.

Political parties continue to interpret it differently.

Last week, the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, invited representatives of political parties to a meeting to discuss options for exiting the crisis.

She also mentioned the possibility of addressing the Constitutional Court for additional clarification./REL