Sljuka: Opposition to the election of a Serb List representative constitutes degradation and destruction of institutions

Aleksandar Sljuka, associate of the NGO New Social Initiative, stated that the refusal to elect a deputy speaker of the Assembly from the ranks of the Serb List demonstrates the “degradation and destruction of institutions” and represents part of Self Determination’s strategy, which “is not ready for new elections.”

“There had been hope that the issue would be resolved with the election of the Speaker of the Assembly, but now we face a problem with electing the deputy speaker from the Serbian community. I think this indicates that Self Determination essentially does not want new elections, probably because they fear that once the process of constituting the Assembly is completed, the next step would be forming a government for which they do not have, and likely will not secure, support. Since there are specific deadlines, if they are not met, new elections would follow – and Self Determination is not prepared for that,” Sljuka told Kosovo Online.

The constitutive session of the Assembly of Kosovo was interrupted yesterday after, in the process of “drawing lots” for the deputy speaker from the Serbian community, only Self Determination MPs participated in the vote. For the second time, the majority of MPs did not support Nenad Rašić of the Freedom, Justice and Survival party.

Previously, all candidates proposed by the majority Serb List had been rejected.

Sljuka believes that the procedure for electing the deputy speaker from the Serbian community was not respected from the start and has revealed the “degradation and destruction of institutions.”

“This has shown the degradation and destruction of institutions, first and foremost the institution of the Assembly as one of the most important in the system, as numerous rules were violated and actions were taken that were unconstitutional and against the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure. We have witnessed the Assembly being treated in a completely meaningless way,” Sljuka emphasized.

He explained that the manner in which candidates from the Serbian community were proposed and then voted on was not in accordance with the rules.

“These proposals should be submitted in writing, and usually the vote would be taken as a package: both for the deputy speaker from the Serbian community and those from other non-majority communities. That did not happen. We have a situation where the drawing of lots was also carried out based on the unilateral decision of the Speaker, which is also not in line with the rules. So, many procedures were violated – all with the purpose of obstructing the process of electing a deputy speaker of the Assembly from the Serbian community,” Sljuka said.

He pointed out that the current manner of electing a deputy speaker “has resolved nothing.”

“We will see what happens in the coming days, but if Self Determination and other opposition parties continue with this approach to the election of a deputy speaker, I believe we will be facing yet another crisis in the Assembly,” he concluded.