PRISTINA – The candidate for the position of the new Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti has presented the proposal of the program and the structure of the new government in Kosovo. Voting on the proposal is expected later during the day.
In his expose, Kurti stressed that reciprocal trade, economic and political measures towards Serbia, as well as the continuation of dialogue, are some of the main goals of the future Kosovo government, reports Radio Free Europe’s Balkan Service.
After almost four months of efforts to form a ruling coalition between the two forerunning parties in Kosovo – Vetëvendosje (Self-Determination) led by Albin Kurti and Die Lidhja Demokratike e Kosovës (The Democratic League of Kosovo) led by Isa Mustafa, an agreement on forming a coalition Sunday, February 2, has put an end to the political deadlock that had been threatening to lead into another round of elections.
According to the plan, the number of ministries in the new government shall be reduced from 21 to 15, while the number of deputy-ministers will be reduced from 80 to 33, reports TRT World.
LDK representatives shall chair 6 ministries, while the Deputy-president of LDK Vjosa Osmani is expected to take the seat of the new Assembly Speaker.
According to Kurti’s proposal, Vetëvendosje (VV) members shall chair six ministries: Deputy-president of VV Glauk Konjufca becomes the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, while the Ministry of Justice is headed by Albulena Haxhiu, Ministry of Finance – Besnik Bislimi (Vetevendosje), Ministry of Economy – Rosetti Hajdari, Ministry of Health Arben Vitia, Ministry of European Integration – Blerim Reka.
The new coalition is also to host six groups representing Bosniaks, Serbs, Turks and other ethnic minorities in Kosovo, whose representatives have chaired the remaining three ministries.
The Ministry of communities and returns, as well as the Ministry of development, will be headed by the representatives of the minority party Srpska lista (Serb List) – Dalibor Jević and Ivan Milojević, states the proposal.
In order for the new government to be elected, it is necessary for 61 out of 120 MPs to support the proposal. VV and LDK, as the leading coalition partners, have a total of 58 votes. Earlier today, Srpska lista declared that it will not support Kurti’s government.
In case the new government does not constitute today, the President of Kosovo will have 10 days to appoint another candidate for the Prime Minister term.