Political tensions in Kosovo have escalated into physical clashes between members of parliament, as the impasse over the constitution of new institutions continues.
The constitutive session, which began on Thursday, remained unfinished after the deputies managed to take the oath, but the Speaker of the Assembly was not elected. The acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, requested additional time for talks with political parties, with the aim of reaching an agreement.
The decision to postpone the session was opposed by PDK, LDK and the Alliance, which accused the ruling party of ignoring the Constitutional Court's decision to constitute the Assembly within the 30-day deadline.
The clashes between MPs were accompanied by strong tensions in the Assembly hall, while the opposition demanded that the session continue on Friday before midnight. Some opposition MPs remained in the Assembly premises in protest.
In an attempt to unblock the situation, Kurti sent a letter to PDK leader Bedri Hamza, offering his party the post of Speaker of the Parliament, in exchange for 22 PDK deputies remaining in the hall during the vote for the president.
The political crisis in Kosovo has been ongoing for nearly two years, while political parties have not yet reached an agreement on the formation of new institutions.
