News: Kosovo: New Political Crisis, Osmani Dissolves the National Assembly

Kosovo may return to the polls for the third time in just over a year, after on March 6 President Vjosa Osmani dissolved the National Assembly due to the failure to meet the constitutional deadline for electing the head of state. Although the Parliament, elected at the end of December, had managed to confirm Albin Kurti, leader of Vetëvendosje, as head of government, the lack of the required quorum of 80 MPs to elect the president paralyzed the institutions.

On March 25, the Constitutional Court annulled the decree by which President Osmani had dissolved Parliament, ruling that MPs have 34 days from the entry into force of the decision to complete the procedure for electing the President of Kosovo. If the Assembly fails to elect a president within this period, it will be dissolved  in accordance with the Constitution, after which early parliamentary elections will be held within 45 days.

The crisis is part of a prolonged period of instability lasting over a year and now risks having serious economic repercussions: without fully functioning institutions, Pristina may not be able to access EU funds under the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which are crucial for the country’s development and had previously been suspended due to tensions in Serb-majority areas.

Photo Credit: CC BY 2.0, https://www.flickr.com/photos/european_parliament/52978454070