Kosovo President Takes Post-Election Dispute to Court

Amid simmering political tensions in Kosovo, the presidency announced on Thursday that Jahjaga had addressed the court for advice to “clarify the constitutional action of the president” in nominating a new prime minister, who will then form the next government.

Jahjaga made the request after opposition parties united in a coalition aiming to prevent the formation of another government led by outgoing Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, the head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK.

The formation of the coalition caused shock in the Kosovo capital, where many expected another government led by Thaci after the polls on June 8, in which his party took the largest number of votes.

The three parties involved in the coalition are Isa Mustafa’s Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, Ramush Haradinaj's Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, and Fatmir Limaj’s Initiative for Kosovo.

Thaci’s  PDK however has described the coalition’s move as “anti-constitutional”, insisting it has the right to form the new government.

The coalition however insisted that the PDK would not get the 61 votes it needs in parliament to form a government.

The PDK won 30 per cent of the vote in the polls this month and will have around 36 seats in parliament.

The LDK, led by Isa Mustafa, came second with 25.75 per cent of the votes, taking 30 seats. Haradinaj’s AAK won 9.61 per cent of the votes, giving it 13 seats.

The new Initiative for Kosovo, established by two PDK defectors, Fatmir Limaj and Jakup Krasniqi, won 5.24 per cent of the votes and is expected to have six or seven seats.

However, before the preseident can nominate anyone to form the new government, the Central Election Commission will have to certify the final...