Pavkovic: Kurti is playing for time and putting pressure on the LDK

Milos Pavkovic, Director of Strategy at the Centre for European Policies, believes that the deadline for constituting the Kosovo Assembly, which expires at midnight, will be missed, but that new elections will not automatically be called. Instead, he expects Albin Kurti to "buy" a few more days in the hope of creating additional space for negotiations.

“It is highly uncertain because, as time passes, the chances of the constituent session being held by the end of the day are becoming increasingly slim. My assumption is that the deadline will be missed and that new elections will not automatically be called. Instead, under the pretext of last year's practice, when the Assembly was partially constituted, Kurti will buy a few more days in the hope that this additional time will provide room for negotiations and potentially the formation of a coalition government,” Pavkovic told Kosovo Online.

He points out that even if no agreement is reached, Kurti would still succeed in delaying new elections for as long as possible.

According to him, yesterday's developments in parliament indicate that Self-Determination has not reached an agreement with any other Albanian party to form a government and elect the president.

“This is tactical manoeuvring by Albin Kurti and Self-Determination with two possible outcomes. The first is an attempt to put pressure on the opposition, primarily the LDK, which is the most likely partner for Self-Determination, in order to reach an agreement on the election of the government and the president. The second is that, if no agreement is reached, they will buy as much time as possible so that potential new elections are held as late as possible,” Pavkovic explained, adding that Kurti's goal is for new elections to be held in December, when the diaspora, which traditionally supports his party, is in Kosovo.

He points out that the election of the president is a key issue in Kosovo's political life, particularly in the current political context.

He recalled that the LDK has its own candidate, Vjosa Osmani, whom Kurti does not want to accept because of their personal conflict. On the other hand, he noted that it is important for the LDK to secure the presidency.

“If the LDK were to enter a coalition with Self-Determination and receive several ministerial posts while giving up the presidency, it would have no guarantees. Under Kosovo's political system and Constitution, the prime minister can dismiss a minister without parliamentary approval and appoint someone else. That would mean that the LDK had supported Self-Determination's candidate for president without any certainty that its ministers would remain in the government until the end of the mandate. That is why the question of the presidency is the key issue,” Pavkovic said.

The only question, he concluded, is whether the LDK is prepared to give up on Osmani and nominate someone else, and whether Self-Determination is willing to accept that candidate.