PRISHTINA, Oct. 5 /ATA/ – Kosovo’s parliament on Monday approved at first reading a bill amending the law governing the country’s Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor’s Office in The Hague, with all 91 lawmakers present voting in favour.
There were no votes against or abstentions. The bill must pass a second reading before it can become law.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti said Kosovo needed functioning institutions to implement a national strategy concerning proceedings in The Hague.
“To implement the strategy, we need functioning institutions, a president and a stable government,” Kurti said, adding that he would meet Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader Bedri Hamza later on Monday to discuss the presidency.
Ramush Haradinaj of the opposition Alliance for the Future of Kosovo called for both readings of the bill to be completed on Monday, saying his party supported the legislation.
The initiative was proposed by the main opposition PDK and had earlier been approved by parliament’s legislation committee by nine votes to none. The government cleared the way for the bill to proceed on Friday, saying there were no legal obstacles.
Protesters gathered outside parliament in support of the amendments, some of them remaining there overnight. They called on lawmakers to approve the bill under the slogan: “Together for one demand: Vote for the law!”
/KosovaPress/u.sh/
