Civil society calls for an agreement on electing the President by October 6

A group of civil society organisations has called on the parliamentary parties to engage in a political agreement that would enable the election of the President of Kosovo by October 6, within the deadline set by the Constitutional Court. In a joint statement, the organisations assessed that Kosovo needs functional institutions, with a full mandate, that fulfil their responsibilities towards citizens. According to them, the mandate given by citizens constitutes a responsibility to respect the constitutional order and democratic functioning.

‘We therefore call on the parliamentary parties to engage immediately in an agreement that enables the election of the President by October 6, within the deadline set by the Constitutional Court,’ the statement says. The organisations warn that a renewed failure to elect the President would bring the dissolution of the Assembly and the holding of new elections. They expressed concern that, after repeated institutional crises and successive electoral cycles, another electoral process could place the country before a new institutional deadlock, without guarantees that elections would resolve the current disagreements.

‘Institutional delays and possible elections are not only about the election of the President,’ it further states. According to civil society, for two years Kosovo’s institutions have functioned under conditions of a limited mandate or in a caretaker capacity, while another blockade would deepen the crisis and prolong political uncertainty. The statement stresses that such a situation could also affect democracy and democratic oversight, economic development, international relations and citizens’ trust in state institutions.

The organisations call for mutual compromise from the parliamentary parties. From the parliamentary majority they ask openness towards candidacies that can secure broader cross-party support, while from the opposition parties they expect concrete proposals and engagement for a feasible solution. ‘We call on all sides to be ready to review their initial positions and to agree on the candidacies, parliamentary support and participation needed to complete the process on time,’ the statement says.

According to civil society, electing the President through an agreement in accordance with the Constitution would enable Kosovo to emerge from the current blockade and allow the institutions to continue their work. The organisations stress that such an agreement does not mean overcoming the political differences between the majority and the opposition, but the institutional cooperation needed to complete the process. ‘The President represents the unity of the people and is the guarantor of the democratic functioning of the institutions, and therefore the agreement too must be guided by this constitutional role,’ the statement says.

Finally, the civil society organisations expressed their readiness to contribute to this process by facilitating possible discussions. They called for the readiness for dialogue, in the remaining days until the deadline expires, to be accompanied by concrete steps to reach the agreement and complete the process of electing the President.

Signatory organisations: (in alphabetical order)