Hashim Thaci

Thaci "respects" decision that would give his party mandate

PRIŠTINA -- Hashim Thaci has said that he will "respect" a decision of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo addressing the post-election deadlock.

The court on Tuesday decided that the party that won the most votes will name a nominee to form the next government in Priština.

Final results of Kosovo elections, Serbs get 10 seats

PRIŠTINA -- Kosovo's Central Election Commission (CEC) has announced the final results of the early June snap parliamentary elections.

A coalition led by Hashim Thaci’s Democratic Party of Kosovo has won 37 seats in the new assembly in Priština, while Serbs will have ten deputies.

The Central Election Commission on Thursday announced its final tally which closely resembled the preliminary figures from the June 8 national polls that gave the lead to Hashim Thaci’s ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK.

Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti said he would back the opposition coalition that wants to form a government instead of outgoing premier Hashim Thaci’s Democratic Party of Kosovo, which won most votes at the recent elections, but only under certain conditions.

“This is because bad governance should not continue,” Vetevendosje Movement spokesperson Erzen Vraniqi told BIRN.

"Important that Serbs take part in government"

BELGRADE -- An agreement has been reached in a meeting with PM Aleksandar Vučić that all those elected on the Serb list in Kosovo "take a united political front."

Confusion has erupted over whether the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK - the party that won most votes in the recent general election in Kosovo - should automatically have the right to form the new government even though it appears unable to claim a majority in parliament.

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.

The barricade over the river Ibar in Mitrovica - the most potent symbol of division in Kosovo between Serbs living in the north and Albanians in the south - was taken down late on Tuesday.

The road over the bridge was finally open to traffic on Wednesday after tons of stones and sand were removed overnight.

The Kosovo government said it welcomed the removal of the barricade.

Police have offered 10,000 euro reward for information after Pista was shot in the back several times in the early hours of Sunday morning when he was leaving a restaurant in Rahovec/Orahovac.

The motive for the killing is so far unclear.

Three opposition parties in Kosovo are in talks to form a broad coalition which would replace the current Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.

Thaci's Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) won Sunday's early parliamentary elections with 30% of the vote, but would need support of smaller parties in order to form a government.