Impasse over the election of the new president/ British Ambassador in Pristina meets with Osmani

2026-03-10 17:27:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Impasse over the election of the new president/ British Ambassador in Pristina

The British Ambassador to Pristina, Jonathan Hargreaves, has called on politicians in Kosovo to hold constructive and respectful talks to find solutions as the country has faced another obstacle, the election of the country's new president.

Hargreaves made these comments after a meeting on Tuesday with Kosovo's president, Vjosa Osmani, whose term ends on April 4.

“Today I spoke with President Osmani about the urgent need for Kosovo to return to political stability, in order to enable progress on domestic and international agendas. In this time of increased political uncertainty, respectful and constructive political discussion is essential to finding a way forward ,” he wrote on Facebook.

Kosovo has failed to elect a successor to Osmani, who herself has expressed her intentions for a second term, and the case has been sent to the country's highest court due to a procedural crisis and differing constitutional interpretations.

On Monday, the Constitutional Court temporarily suspended, until March 31, a decree by President Osmani, through which she had dissolved the Kosovo Assembly on March 6.

The Constitutional Court said that the decision prohibits any action by Osman in relation to the March 6 decree, as well as prohibits any action by the Kosovo Assembly while the temporary measure is in force.

This means that Osmani cannot call new elections and the Assembly cannot continue the session to elect the president during this time.

The request for the assessment of the constitutionality of the decree dissolving the Assembly was submitted by Prime Minister Albin Kurti on behalf of the Government.

The parliament attempted to elect a new president on March 5, after the ruling party presented two candidates for president, Glauk Konjufca and Fatmire Kollçaku-Mullhaxha, but only after preliminary talks with opposition parties for a name that would enjoy the necessary support had failed.

The President of Kosovo is elected with two-thirds of the votes in the first two rounds or with 61 votes in the third round, but 80 deputies are needed in the chamber for the session to be held.

The session was interrupted due to lack of quorum, after being abandoned by the opposition parties. For the opposition parties, the two figures presented by the ruling party were unacceptable and they insisted on a political agreement or a compatible name.

Osmani did not run as a candidate for any party, even though the Vetëvendosje Movement claimed to have offered her the opportunity. For the ruling party, she did not have the necessary votes, while for other parties, she did not personify the necessary unity that the figure of the president needs. /REL