Haxhiu after the Hague ruling: No request for an extraordinary session has reached the Assembly

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Albulena Haxhiu said after the meeting of the Assembly Presidency that no request has been submitted to the Assembly for holding an extraordinary session following the Specialist Chambers’ verdict in The Hague against the former KLA leaders.

She said she has faced criticism for not calling such a session, but clarified that under the Assembly’s rules of procedure the speaker has no right to call extraordinary sessions — they can be called by 40 signatory MPs, and as soon as such a request arrives she will process it “immediately and without delay”.

She also spoke about the bill tabled by the PDK parliamentary group to amend the Law on the Specialist Chambers, stressing that institutions and parliamentary groups must be careful, consult field experts and defense teams on any legislative initiative. “I refuse to support any initiative whose only purpose is to make it look like we are doing something,” she said.

Asked about the refusal of the family members of the former KLA leaders, Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli and Jakup Krasniqi, to meet at the institution following the Assembly’s decision, Haxhiu said she respects their decision and is ready to receive them at any moment or to pay them family visits.

Asked why she does not take part in the protests being held in Pristina, she replied: “We lead today the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo… I support civic protests.”

Source: KosovaPress