se times
03/11/2010
After the current government was toppled by a no confidence vote Tuesday, Kosovo's acting president announces the date for snap elections.
By Linda Karadaku and Muhamet Brajshori for Southeast European Times in Pristina -- 03/11/10
After the current government was toppled by a no confidence vote Tuesday, Kosovo's acting president announces the date for snap elections.
By Linda Karadaku and Muhamet Brajshori for Southeast European Times in Pristina -- 03/11/10
In a culmination of the political crisis in Kosovo, parliament voted to disband itself on Tuesday (November 2nd). Immediately after the vote, Acting Kosovo President Jakup Krasniqi announced that snap elections will be held December 12th.
The 66-1 vote was the first time that a government has been toppled by its own ruling party, after being called upon to vote by the sitting prime minister.
"We are facing a test of democracy in our new country," Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said before the vote. He called on lawmakers to adopt the motion, saying this would end the institutional crisis.
The motion was initiated by the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), headed by businessman Behgjet Pacolli. The party's deputy chairman, Ibrahim Makolli, placed the blame for Kosovo's political turmoil on ex-President Fatmir Sejdiu and his Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK).
"Kosovo is in a deep political and institutional crisis, the worst since 2000. The basis of this crisis is in the governance failure of this government and of their partners, who were focused on the interests of their political parties and not to work on the interests of the country," Makolli said.
The LDK itself made it clear it would not vote.
Party member Ismet Beqiri said that while it is a constitutional right to propose the vote, his party is "against the content of the motion, which makes LDK guilty for the whole process".
During a press conference after the motion, Thaci said that the country has been in crisis since Sejdiu resigned in September.
"We understand and respect this motion as a constitutional crisis to get out of this situation because we are a legal state. The constitution and laws should be respected and will be respected to the end," Thaci said, underlining that the country's institutions will continue their work.
The 66-1 vote was the first time that a government has been toppled by its own ruling party, after being called upon to vote by the sitting prime minister.
"We are facing a test of democracy in our new country," Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said before the vote. He called on lawmakers to adopt the motion, saying this would end the institutional crisis.
The motion was initiated by the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), headed by businessman Behgjet Pacolli. The party's deputy chairman, Ibrahim Makolli, placed the blame for Kosovo's political turmoil on ex-President Fatmir Sejdiu and his Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK).
"Kosovo is in a deep political and institutional crisis, the worst since 2000. The basis of this crisis is in the governance failure of this government and of their partners, who were focused on the interests of their political parties and not to work on the interests of the country," Makolli said.
The LDK itself made it clear it would not vote.
Party member Ismet Beqiri said that while it is a constitutional right to propose the vote, his party is "against the content of the motion, which makes LDK guilty for the whole process".
During a press conference after the motion, Thaci said that the country has been in crisis since Sejdiu resigned in September.
"We understand and respect this motion as a constitutional crisis to get out of this situation because we are a legal state. The constitution and laws should be respected and will be respected to the end," Thaci said, underlining that the country's institutions will continue their work.
"This is the end of a discredited government that has literally brought itself down with a lack of proper development for the country," Ilir Deda, head of the New Spirit Party said. "We now find a climate for change has been created, and the December vote … will show where we are headed for the next decade."
No one in the country seemed surprised by the outcome of the vote.
"The situation was not good, and we expected that in a way the political parties will take this decision. For me, what is important is to organise a democratic election without any major problem, which might cause a bigger crisis in Kosovo," said Ardita Osmanaj, from the Pristina-based NGO JEF-Kosovo.
Asad Gashi, an analyst from the Balkan Policy Institute-IPOL, agreed. "It is important to manage the situation. It's up to the government to offer 100% support for the Central Election Commission, and to offer its commitment to continue some processes that might be in the interest of the country. [Hopefully the elections will lead] to the support that the new government will need for talks with Belgrade."
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
No one in the country seemed surprised by the outcome of the vote.
"The situation was not good, and we expected that in a way the political parties will take this decision. For me, what is important is to organise a democratic election without any major problem, which might cause a bigger crisis in Kosovo," said Ardita Osmanaj, from the Pristina-based NGO JEF-Kosovo.
Asad Gashi, an analyst from the Balkan Policy Institute-IPOL, agreed. "It is important to manage the situation. It's up to the government to offer 100% support for the Central Election Commission, and to offer its commitment to continue some processes that might be in the interest of the country. [Hopefully the elections will lead] to the support that the new government will need for talks with Belgrade."
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
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