Kosovo Politicians Divided Over How to Choose Next President

Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti has repeatedly stated that consultations will be held with the country's political parties to discuss choosing the next president after Hashim Thaci's resignation, but his office told BIRN that the government has not yet set a date for talks.

"We still do not have a concrete date, as soon we do, we will inform you," said Antigona Baxhaku-Idrizi, an adviser to Hoti.

After Thaci's resignation on November 5 to face war crimes charges at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the Hague, presidential duties have been handled by acting president Vjosa Osmani.

However, according to the constitution, an acting president can only occupy the position for six months.

A presidential candidate must receive a two-thirds majority vote at the Kosovo Assembly to be elected.

If no candidate receives two-thirds of the vote in two initial ballots, a third vote is triggered, in which case a majority of 61 votes is enough to secure the presidency.

Failure to elect a president through this process automatically dissolves the Kosovo Assembly and triggers early parliamentary elections.

Hoti's party, the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, has been seeking to initiate discussions over the vacant post, but the other parliamentary parties are divided over how to choose the next president.

The LDK's junior coalition partner in the current government, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, stated in August that its presidential candidate is party leader and former prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj. However, the proposal has not gained much support in the Kosovo Assembly, even among the AAK's coalition partners.

Opposition parties are also divided over the best route out of the deadlock. The...