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Discussions about the Government/ What awaits Kosovo in the coming days?

2025-11-13 19:25:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Kosovo held parliamentary elections in February 2025, but the year could easily end without a new government. The Deputy Leader of the Vetëvendosje Movement (LVV), Glauk Konjufca, has until November 19 to propose a new government composition to the Assembly, to see if he has the necessary votes to form the new executive.

On the day he was appointed prime minister, Konjufca called on other political parties to put aside their grudges and vote for an interim government until April next year – when the mandate of the current president, Vjosa Osmani, expires – but the major Albanian parties made it clear that they have no vote for him.

Konjufca is the second LVV candidate, after party leader Albin Kurti, to attempt to form a new government. The party, although it won the most votes in the early-year elections, did not secure enough seats in the Assembly to form a government on its own.

"Kurti 2.5", "Konjufca 1" or something else?

Naim Jakaj, from the Kosovo Institute for Law (IKD), tells Radio Free Europe that he believes that the cabinet that Konjufca will present will be the same as the cabinet proposed by Kurti, and if the composition and political support have not changed, no new result is expected in the vote.

"In these circumstances, we consider that the only real possibility for a new government would be a political agreement to produce a technical government, with a limited mandate, and with some clear objectives, which are already problematic," Jakaj said, mentioning as most critical: the approval of the state and several municipal budgets for next year, the ratification of the international agreement related to the European Union Growth Plan, as well as the approval of the budget for Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK).

Unlike Konjufca, who has not publicly stated anything about the formation of the Government, Kurti said a few days ago that there may be more details about the process this week.

He reiterated his position that it is not good for Kosovo to have elections in both December and April.

"The deputies of the Republic are facing a choice: either 'Kurti 2.5' by December, or 'Konjufca 1' by April. But, without either of them, it is not possible."

Why isn't the session being called?

Typically in Kosovo, government formation sessions are held quickly after a figure is mandated as prime minister. For Jakaj, the current situation is unusual, and he is surprised by Konjufca.

"I had other expectations from Mr. Konjufca, that he would be faster and more dialogical with other parties, in order to find a solution."

In addition to the lack of votes, it is widely reported in Kosovo that another reason for the delay in the process is that the timing of the eventual elections should coincide with the diaspora holidays in Kosovo, somewhere around December 28th.

Jakaj hopes that the president will avoid this date, as it is a holiday period in most of the world.

"If the elections were held after December 24, it would pose a problem, in the sense that there would be no international presence to monitor the extraordinary elections."

According to the Constitution of Kosovo, if even the second-in-command fails to form a government, then President Osmani must announce elections, which must be held no later than 40 days from the day of their announcement.

Osmani himself said days ago that he had told the leaders of the former opposition parties that if they do not wish to accept a legislative initiative launched by the incumbent Government for the approval of laws - such as the one for the budget or the EU Growth Plan - then a formal request can be made on their behalf, but initially the parties must be willing to vote on those laws in the Assembly.

"There is a possibility that this issue can be resolved, but so far I have no answer," she said.

According to the president, international agreements worth almost 1 billion euros, the state budget and other issues should be voted on "by the representatives of this Assembly, who voted on February 9 of this year, but have not yet decided anything."

What if the country goes to elections?

Experts predict that a way will be found for Kosovo to have a budget by the end of March next year, while foreign funds risk being lost.

If there are no functional institutions after March 31, then the country will face an unpredictable situation, as there will be no salaries for public sector workers and private sector operators will not be able to perform their jobs, in the absence of fulfillment of obligations by the state.

However, the parties continue to fail to find a middle ground, and believe that early elections are the only real option.

Political pundits, on the other hand, do not expect major changes in the results, and reiterate that only compromise can get the country out of the crisis. It remains to be seen who will make the big turn.../REL