Kosovo President Dissolves Parliament After Failure to Elect New Head of State
PRISTINA — Vjosa Osmani, president of Kosovo, announced Friday that she has dissolved the country’s parliament after lawmakers failed to elect a new president within the deadline required by the constitution.
Speaking at a press conference in Pristina, Osmani said parliament attempted to choose a new head of state late Thursday but could not reach an agreement.
Constitutional deadline not met
Osmani described the situation as a serious setback for the country. She said the constitution required her to take action after lawmakers failed to fulfill their responsibility.
She explained that the decision followed the legal provisions outlined in Kosovo’s constitution.
According to Osmani, Article 86 clearly states that lawmakers must elect a new president at least 30 days before the current president’s term ends. However, parliament did not meet this requirement.
As a result, she signed a decree dissolving the Assembly of Kosovo.
Lawmakers accused of failing national responsibility
Osmani also criticized members of parliament for not prioritizing the country’s interests.
She said the political crisis could have been avoided if lawmakers had fulfilled their constitutional duties.
In addition, she noted that parliament itself acknowledged the political deadlock and decided to move toward new elections.
Early elections expected soon
Following the dissolution of parliament, Kosovo will now prepare for early general elections.
Osmani said she will meet leaders of major political parties in the coming days to discuss the next steps.
After these consultations, she is expected to announce the official date for the elections.
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