• Kurti asks Court’s opinion on Thaci’s competencies to propose candidate (media)
• Thaci: Threats from Kurti’s group and others must stop at once (media)
• Hoti: Parliamentary majority will elect new government (media)
• Osmani: Peace is possible only after perpetrators are brought to justice (media)
• Spain lifts veto over Kosovo attendance at international meetings (media)

Kurti asks Court’s opinion on Thaci’s competencies to propose candidate (media)

Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, has asked a legal opinion from the Venice Commission about the competencies of the Kosovo President in disbanding the Assembly and his competencies to propose a Prime Minister candidate following the no-confidence motion against the government.

A press release issued by Kurti’s office noted that in the current circumstances in Kosovo, an opinion from the Venice Commission would serve to strengthen democracy and constitutional law in Kosovo.

“An opinion from the Commission would have substantial value not only for Kosovo but more generally for the constitutional practice in all member states of the Commission. It should be noted that this is the first time that Kosovo asks for an opinion from the Venice Commission about the relations of constitutional institutions and their competencies,” the press release notes.

Thaci: Threats from Kurti’s group and others must stop at once (media)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci reacted to a statement by acting Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla in relation to New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) leader and MP, Behgjet Pacolli. “The threat that an acting minister of an outgoing government made toward former President Behgjet Pacolli, who is a party leader and a people’s representative in the Kosovo Assembly, that he will be arrested if he goes to the Assembly to exercise his mandate, is unacceptable and very dangerous for our new democracy,” Thaci said.

Thaci also added that “threats from Kurti’s group must be stopped at once”. “The Kosovo Assembly must address this threat and take necessary measures to protect democracy in the Republic of Kosovo,” he said.

Hoti: Parliamentary majority will elect new government (media)

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) candidate for Prime Minister, Avdullah Hoti, said today that all parties must accept the decision of the Constitutional Court “because this is the only way to advance democracy”.

Hoti said in a Facebook post that “whoever wants to take advantage of the interim measure to degrade the executive institutions, ruin the economy and use the pandemic to violate our basic liberties, will be extremely disappointed”.

“The majority in the Assembly of the Republic, by electing a new government in line with the Constitution, will not allow the citizens and the institutions to be sidestepped by political structures that lack legitimacy,” he added.

Osmani: Peace is possible only after perpetrators are brought to justice (media)

Kosovo Assembly President Vjosa Osmani said today that there can be no sustainable peace between Kosovo and Serbia until all war crimes committed by Serbia in Kosovo are not resolved. Osmani made these remarks on the 21^st anniversary of the Studime massacre when 116 Albanian civilians, including children and elderly, were killed by Serbian forces. She also argued that the massacre clearly shows that there were efforts by the Serbian regime at the time to carry out ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Albanians in Kosovo.

Spain lifts veto over Kosovo attendance at international meetings (media)

Several news websites report that Spain has lifted its veto over Kosovo’s attendance at international meetings. The decision was hailed by Austrian MP in the European Parliament, Lukas Mandl, and the European Parliament Rapporteur for Kosovo, Viola von Cramon.

Mandl wrote in a Tweet: “Great that #Spain lifted its veto over #Kosovo's attendance at international meetings. Now full recognition must follow. Europe must speak with one voice. Domestic issues must not stand in the way of #EU-integration of the #WesternBalkans.”