Kosovo's acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, has hinted that his Vetëvendosje Movement party, as the winner of the February 9 parliamentary elections, may fail to form the country's new government, saying that "it seems that the alternative is that we will go to elections again."
Speaking at a meeting with the diaspora in London on Tuesday, Kurti said that "in these remaining days, we are communicating, we are talking," without giving details about which parties or MPs.
Kurti was nominated on October 11 by Kosovo's president, Vjosa Osmani, to attempt to form a new government and, according to Kosovo's laws, he has 15 days to do so, meaning he only has until October 26.
"It's not easy, because, I don't know how to explain it to you, maybe you've heard it yourself, the atmosphere has become very intoxicated, there is a lot of jealousy and anger and cynicism much more than ideas, work and passion. But, we are where we are and we will try to form the Government. But, it seems, the alternative is that we will go to elections again", Kurti stressed on Tuesday, Radio Free Europe reports.
Kurti traveled to London on Monday, where he will participate in the next Berlin Process Summit.
Kurti's party is under great pressure to gain the necessary support in the Assembly, after the February 9 elections left it far from the majority needed to govern alone.
Options are limited: Vetëvendosje has ruled out talks with the Democratic Party of Kosovo, which came second in the elections, while leaving the door open for possible cooperation with the Democratic League of Kosovo.
Several party MPs confirmed to Radio Free Europe on Monday that they "are not aware of any talks with other parliamentary parties," adding that "it remains to be seen."
Also, senior officials of the Democratic League of Kosovo, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that so far "there have been neither meetings nor invitations to discuss a possible coalition."
"Vetëvendosje is acting through individuals, not with us as a political entity," said one of them.
Kurti said on Tuesday that "it does not appear that the opposition has the will or intention to form their own government."
If Kurti fails to form a new government by Sunday, October 26, then President Osmani, within 10 days, must invite the parties to consultations and, at her discretion, give the mandate to another candidate who proves to have a parliamentary majority.
Osmani said on Monday that there is still time to achieve this goal, while also criticizing the Serbian List for, as he emphasized, creating obstacles.
The Serbian List, the largest party of the Serbian community in Kosovo, last week filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court against the election of the Serbian Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Nenad Rasic, alleging violations of the Constitution and internal regulations.
The complaint was filed less than a week after the Assembly was constituted – a process that took almost six months.
Experts warn that, depending on the Constitutional Court's decision, the process could restart from scratch and the Assembly could not be considered constituted.
