Constitutional Court rules: The President's decree has no legal effect, MPs have 34 days to elect the President

News

Express newspaper

25/03/2026 17:24

The Constitutional Court has issued its verdict regarding the presidential case, ruling that President Vjosa Osmani's decree ''does not produce any legal effect''.

In her decision, the Constitutional Court says that MPs have 34 more days to elect the country's new president, Gazeta Express reports.

Full press release:

Announcement of the publication of the judgment KO72/26 and KO74/26

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kosovo, on March 25, 2026, decided on the joint requests in cases KO72/26, filed by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Albin Kurti, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and KO74/26, filed by Ms. Arbërie Nagavci and 30 (thirty) other deputies of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, based on the authorizations set forth in paragraph 2 of Article 113 [Jurisdiction and Authorized Parties] of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, through which the assessment of the constitutionality of “decree no. 24/2026 of 06.03.2026, of the President of the Republic of Kosovo, regarding the dissolution of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo.”

The court, unanimously, ruled:

I. DECLARE the request admissible;

II. TO STATE that Decree [no. 24/2026] of 6 March 2026 of the President of the Republic of Kosovo does not produce any legal effect;

III. TO STATE that the members of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo have thirty-four (34) days from the date of entry into force of this Judgment to conduct and complete the procedure for the election of the President of the Republic of Kosovo;

IV. TO HOLD that in the event that the Assembly fails to elect the President within the period specified in point III of the operative part of this Judgment, based on subparagraph 3 of paragraph 1 of Article 82 [Dissolution of the Assembly] of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, the Assembly shall be dissolved ex constitutione, and consequently, early elections for the Assembly shall be held within forty-five (45) days, as provided for in paragraph 2 of Article 66 [Election and Mandate] and paragraph 6 of Article 86 [Election of the President] of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo;

V. TO HOLD that the Court's Decision on the imposition of the interim measure of 9 March 2026 is repealed upon the entry into force of this Judgment;

VI. I NOTIFY this Judgment to the parties;

VII. TO PUBLISH this Judgment in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo, in accordance with paragraph 4 of Article 20 (Decisions) of Law No. 03/L-121 on the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kosovo;

VIII. TO DECLARE that this Judgment shall enter into force immediately.