Latest news with #Self-DeterminationMovement
26-06-2025
- Politics
Kosovo's top court asks lawmakers to end their political stalemate and elect a speaker in 30 days
PRISTINA, Kosovo -- Kosovo's Constitutional Court on Thursday asked the country's newly elected lawmakers in Parliament to end three months of political stalemate and elect a new speaker within 30 days. The court's move came at the request of 11 lawmakers, and it was not clear what would happen if lawmakers fail to abide by the court's wishes. The Parliament has failed to elect a speaker since its first session on April 15 because other parties have been unwilling to work with that of acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti, whose left-wing Self-Determination Movement, or Vetevendosje!, won only 48 out of 120 seats in the Feb. 9 election. That is down from 58 seats in 2021. Kurti's party has failed in 37 rounds of votes to receive the 61 votes needed to elect a new speaker. Without a speaker, Kurti cannot be formally nominated as prime minister and form a Cabinet. If the situation continues, the president can turn to any of the other parties. If no party can form a Cabinet, the country will face another parliamentary election. Kurti and the three main opposition parties have all ruled out working together in a coalition. The center-right Democratic Party of Kosovo, or PDK, won 24 seats, the conservative governing Democratic League of Kosovo, or LDK, 20 seats, and the right-wing Alliance for Kosovo's Future, AAK, eight seats. Ten seats are reserved for Kosovo's ethnic Serb minority and 10 others belong to non-Serb minority members of Parliament. A new Cabinet is needed not only to run the economy and other services, but also proceed with the 14-year-long normalization talks with Serbia, which have stalled. Kosovo holds municipal elections Oct. 12. Around 11,400 people died, mostly from Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority, in the 1998-1999 war in Kosovo, which was formerly a province of Serbia. A 78-day NATO air campaign ended the fighting and pushed Serbian forces out. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, with most Western nations recognizing its sovereignty, but Serbia and its allies Russia and China don't.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kosovo's president sets Oct. 12 for municipal elections while a legislative impasse continues
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo 's president on Monday set Oct. 12 as the date for municipal elections, while the country remains in a legislative impasse without a functioning parliament and a new Cabinet since its Feb. 9 parliamentary vote. President Vjosa Osmani urged political parties, organizations and public institutions to ensure an all-inclusive, free and fair process. The last municipal elections in October 2021, for mayors of 38 municipalities and about 1,000 town hall lawmakers, were mainly won by center-right opposition parties. The Srpska List party of Kosovo's ethnic Serb minority, which is close to the Serbian government in Belgrade, won the 10 seats in northern Kosovar municipalities. Municipal authorities run the local economy, education, health, infrastructure, natural resources, tourism, culture and sports but not defense or public order institutions. Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti's left-wing Self-Determination Movement won the Feb. 9 parliamentary election with 48 of 120 seats, falling short of the required majority of 61 to elect a new speaker or form a Cabinet on its own. The parliament has not succeeded in electing the new speaker, as deputies in opposition parties object to Kurti's candidate. Lawmakers have tried and failed 29 times since the first session of parliament in April 15. The Constitution imposes no deadline to elect one. Without a speaker, Kurti cannot be formally nominated as prime minister and form a Cabinet. If the situation continues, the president can turn to any of the other parties. If no party can form a Cabinet, the country will face another parliamentary election. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Most Western nations recognize its sovereignty, but Serbia and its allies Russia and China don't. ___ Semini reported from Tirana, Albania.
Winnipeg Free Press
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Kosovo's president sets Oct. 12 for municipal elections while a legislative impasse continues
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo 's president on Monday set Oct. 12 as the date for municipal elections, while the country remains in a legislative impasse without a functioning parliament and a new Cabinet since its Feb. 9 parliamentary vote. President Vjosa Osmani urged political parties, organizations and public institutions to ensure an all-inclusive, free and fair process. The last municipal elections in October 2021, for mayors of 38 municipalities and about 1,000 town hall lawmakers, were mainly won by center-right opposition parties. The Srpska List party of Kosovo's ethnic Serb minority, which is close to the Serbian government in Belgrade, won the 10 seats in northern Kosovar municipalities. Municipal authorities run the local economy, education, health, infrastructure, natural resources, tourism, culture and sports but not defense or public order institutions. Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti's left-wing Self-Determination Movement won the Feb. 9 parliamentary election with 48 of 120 seats, falling short of the required majority of 61 to elect a new speaker or form a Cabinet on its own. The parliament has not succeeded in electing the new speaker, as deputies in opposition parties object to Kurti's candidate. Lawmakers have tried and failed 29 times since the first session of parliament in April 15. The Constitution imposes no deadline to elect one. Without a speaker, Kurti cannot be formally nominated as prime minister and form a Cabinet. If the situation continues, the president can turn to any of the other parties. If no party can form a Cabinet, the country will face another parliamentary election. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Most Western nations recognize its sovereignty, but Serbia and its allies Russia and China don't. ___ Semini reported from Tirana, Albania.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kosovo's parliament faces post-election deadlock after opposition blocks minority ruling party
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — The inaugural session of Kosovo's newly-elected parliament was cancelled on Tuesday after it failed to constitute new lawmakers, a move which could take the country into a prolonged legal saga before a new cabinet can be formed. Following a short delay to proceedings, the opposition voted against a report into whether acting prime minister Albin Kurti and his cabinet acted in line with the constitution when they failed to resign following the Feb. 9 election, when Kurti's left-wing Self-Determination Movement, or Vetevendosje!, won 48 out of 120-seats, falling short of the majority needed to form a cabinet on its own. In 2021, the party won 58 seats. Though Vetevendosje! distributed a letter of resignation on Tuesday, as required under the constitution, the acting speaker cancelled the session, adding that parliament would consult the president on how to proceed. Once the lawmakers' mandate and the election of the parliament's speaker and its deputies have been approved, the president will send to parliament a letter of nomination for Kurti, who Vetevendosje! has designated as prime minister. While he needs a simple majority in parliament, or 61 votes, to form a cabinet, Kurti has previously ruled out a coalition with the center-right Democratic Party of Kosovo, or PDK, which was runner up in the election with 24 seats, or the conservative governing Democratic League of Kosovo, or LDK, which won 20 seats, or the right-wing Alliance for Kosovo's Future, AAK, which has 8 seats. The three opposition parties have also ruled out any coalition with Kurti or Vetevendosje!. Kurti could turn to 10 non-Serb minority MPs, but he would still need at least three other votes. If Kurti fails to form a cabinet, the president is entitled to turn to any of the other parties. If no party can form a cabinet, the country will face early parliamentary election. A new cabinet would be needed not only to run the country's economy and other services, but also proceed with the 14-year-long normalization talks with Serbia which have failed to make progress and bilateral ties are tense. Around 11,400 people died in the 1998-1999 war in Kosovo, mostly from Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority. A 78-day NATO air campaign ended the fighting and pushed Serbian forces out. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, with most Western nations recognizing its sovereignty, but Serbia and its allies Russia and China don't. The EU and the United States have urged Kosovo and Serbia to implement agreements reached two years ago that include a commitment by Kosovo to establish an Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities and Serbia's obligation to provide de facto recognition of Kosovo. —— Semini reported from Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Associated Press
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Kosovo's parliament faces post-election deadlock after opposition blocks minority ruling party
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — The inaugural session of Kosovo's newly-elected parliament was cancelled on Tuesday after it failed to constitute new lawmakers, a move which could take the country into a prolonged legal saga before a new cabinet can be formed. Following a short delay to proceedings, the opposition voted against a report into whether acting prime minister Albin Kurti and his cabinet acted in line with the constitution when they failed to resign following the Feb. 9 election, when Kurti's left-wing Self-Determination Movement, or Vetevendosje!, won 48 out of 120-seats, falling short of the majority needed to form a cabinet on its own. In 2021, the party won 58 seats. Though Vetevendosje! distributed a letter of resignation on Tuesday, as required under the constitution, the acting speaker cancelled the session, adding that parliament would consult the president on how to proceed. Once the lawmakers' mandate and the election of the parliament's speaker and its deputies have been approved, the president will send to parliament a letter of nomination for Kurti, who Vetevendosje! has designated as prime minister. While he needs a simple majority in parliament, or 61 votes, to form a cabinet, Kurti has previously ruled out a coalition with the center-right Democratic Party of Kosovo, or PDK, which was runner up in the election with 24 seats, or the conservative governing Democratic League of Kosovo, or LDK, which won 20 seats, or the right-wing Alliance for Kosovo's Future, AAK, which has 8 seats. The three opposition parties have also ruled out any coalition with Kurti or Vetevendosje!. Kurti could turn to 10 non-Serb minority MPs, but he would still need at least three other votes. If Kurti fails to form a cabinet, the president is entitled to turn to any of the other parties. If no party can form a cabinet, the country will face early parliamentary election. A new cabinet would be needed not only to run the country's economy and other services, but also proceed with the 14-year-long normalization talks with Serbia which have failed to make progress and bilateral ties are tense. Around 11,400 people died in the 1998-1999 war in Kosovo, mostly from Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority. A 78-day NATO air campaign ended the fighting and pushed Serbian forces out. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, with most Western nations recognizing its sovereignty, but Serbia and its allies Russia and China don't. The EU and the United States have urged Kosovo and Serbia to implement agreements reached two years ago that include a commitment by Kosovo to establish an Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities and Serbia's obligation to provide de facto recognition of Kosovo. —— Semini reported from Amsterdam, Netherlands.
