Kosovo Assembly members have failed for the 44th time to form the ninth parliamentary body, emerging from the February elections. On July 9, lawmakers again refused to form a proposed commission to oversee a secret ballot for the new head of the legislative body.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the Serbian List again refused, in the continuation of the constitutive session, on Wednesday, to propose a representative who would ensure the smooth conduct of the secret ballot.
They claim that the demand of the Vetevendosje Movement – which won the majority of votes in the election – that the speaker of parliament be voted on through a secret ballot is unconstitutional, while the Vetevendosje Movement insists that the secret ballot is legitimate and wants to move forward.
The constitutive session will continue on Friday, July 11. So far, the deputies have only passed two items on the agenda of the constitutive session: the report of the Temporary Committee for the Verification of Mandates and the oath of deputies.
But the process has stalled at the third point: the election of the speaker of parliament. The LVV candidate for speaker of the Assembly, Albulena Haxhiu, failed to receive the 61 votes needed to be confirmed in the post in several open ballots.
Haxhiu of LVV is considered a divisive figure by two parliamentary parties: PDK and AAK. These two entities have requested that LVV come up with another name for speaker. LDK, meanwhile, has said that it has no votes for any of LVV's nominees for the post of speaker.
The deputies must elect the speaker and five vice-speakers to finally constitute the new Assembly. Only after the Assembly is constituted can the new Government be formed./REL