PRISTINA – Four Western European countries and the United States have raised their concern over the ongoing political situation in Kosovo, calling on the country’s political establishment to end the two-month stalemate.
“Kosovo faces many challenges, both immediate and long term, including both the IMF program, energy situation, but also the need for economic development, strengthening of the rule of law, Kosovo’s European perspective and Kosovo’s relationship with Serbia,” the Embassies of the Quint states – France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States – said in a joint statement issued on Sunday.
The statement goes on saying by saying that Kosovo citizens deserve an Assembly and Government that can meet these challenges.
“It is the responsibility of Kosovo’s leaders to form these institutions, but also to make the necessary reforms to prevent similar deadlock in the future. We hope that Kosovo’s leaders, both in politics and civil society, will take the lead in resolving this issue, including by providing concrete proposals,” the statement read.
In their statement, Quint states noted that important first principle is that deputies elected to the Kosovo Assembly should attend Assembly sessions and allow its work to begin.
Kosovo’s parliament is set to continue its constitutive session to vote for a new parliament speaker on Monday, following three previous failed sessions after PAN coalition – made up of Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK), Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), boycotted Parliament.
Having secured a parliamentary majority, PAN coalition has the right to propose its candidate for the post of parliament speaker.
Only after the parliament is constituted can the president propose a candidate for the Prime Minister’s position, who – according to the country’s constitution, should form a government within 15 days after the proposal.