PRISHTINA, April 28 /ATA/ – A deadline set by the Constitutional Court of Kosovo for electing the country’s new president expires at midnight on Tuesday.
The court set the April 28 deadline after annulling a decree by former president Vjosa Osmani to dissolve parliament, issued after lawmakers failed to elect a president by March 5 due to a lack of quorum.
If no president is elected by the deadline, the country must hold new elections within 45 days.
Parties have so far failed to agree on candidates.
Kosovo’s constitution requires at least 80 lawmakers to be present for the presidential vote to be valid. If no candidate wins in the first two rounds, a third round is held, in which 60 votes are sufficient to secure the post, provided the quorum is met.
At a session on Monday, attended only by members of the ruling majority, fewer than 70 lawmakers were present.
The session, called by the ruling Vetëvendosje, nominated Feride Rushiti and Hatixhe Hoxha as candidates.
Despite the lack of quorum, a first round of voting was held. Rushiti received 63 votes, Hoxha none, and one ballot was invalid.
Opposition parties and civil society groups said proceeding without quorum undermined the legitimacy of the process and the constitutional order.
/REL/u.sh/
