The leaders of Kosovo’s coalition parties plan to meet on Monday afternoon and discuss 4 September meeting between Kosovo and Serbia at the White House and election of new president.
Hashim Thaci’s mandate as country’s president expires in 2021 but his mandate might be cut short if the Kosovo Specialist Chambers confirms war crime charges against him already filed by the Hague prosecutors for his role as political representative of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during 1998-1999 war in Kosovo. After the Hague-based Specialist Prosecutor’s office announced filing of an indictment, Thaci said that he would resign if the indictment is confirmed.
Following this development ruling coalition parties have started discussing on who should succeed Thaci as Kosovo president. Coalition leader – the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) is asking the president’s post which is elected by the Parliament with two third of votes. Last week the junior coalition partner in LDK-led Government – the AAK mandated their leader Ramush Haradinaj as candidate for president. Based on the public statements it seems that coalition partners have no accord on who should become country’s president.
Leader of the LDK, Isa Mustafa, said that during Monday’s meeting of coalition leaders they will discuss among other things the election of new president. He said that the main topic would be the coordination ahead of high-level meeting between Kosovo and Serbia on 4 September at the White House, hosted by the US National Security Advisor, Robert O’Brien. The meeting happens following public disagreements of Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj over the dialogue process. Haradinaj said that he does not believe Hoti leading the dialogue and accused him of trying to bypass the AAK representatives in Government when discussing with Serbia. The Prime Minister Hoti answering Haradinaj’s criticism said that Kosovo has only one Prime Minister who according to the Constitution is mandated to lead the dialogue with Serbia. /GazetaExpress/