IKD: Election of Deputy Speaker of the Assembly from minority communities conducted contrary to the Constitution and Rules of Procedure

The Kosovo Institute of Justice assessed that the election of the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly from minority communities was carried out in violation of the Constitution, the Rules of Procedure, and established parliamentary practice, thereby, as they noted, opening the way to an institutional crisis and a blockade of the legislative authority.

The Kosovo Legal Institute stated that the vote for the Deputy Speakers of the Assembly from minority communities, held at the constitutive session on 26 August, violated constitutional norms, procedural rules, as well as the rulings of the Constitutional Court and previous parliamentary practice, Koha reports.

The statement emphasized that Assembly Speaker Dimalj Baša did not respect the nomination process, which requires a written proposal from the majority of deputies of that community, nor did he bundle the vote for the Deputy Speakers from the communities as a package, which is the established practice.

According to IKD, these actions were not in line with the Constitution (Article 67, paragraph 4), the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly (Article 12, paragraphs 4 and 5), nor with the Constitutional Court judgments nos. KO119/14, KO193/25, and KO196/25.

It was highlighted that the election of Emilija Redžepi as Deputy Speaker was carried out without a written proposal, while Nenad Rašić was not nominated by the majority of deputies of the Serbian community.

IKD also noted a violation of the rules regarding the drawing of lots for the election of Deputy Speakers, which according to the Rules of Procedure applies only if no proposals have been submitted.