The constitution of the Assembly, as the first step in the process of forming Kosovo's new institutions, was not concluded as expected on the morning of August 6.
Thursday's constitutive session was postponed by its chairman, after the swearing-in of the new deputies, at the request of the chairman of the largest party, the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), to give time to reach a political agreement with the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK).
As the constitutional deadline for the constitution of the Assembly – which would pave the way for the formation of the government and the election of the president of the state – expires on Friday at midnight, the two parties still do not seem close to a deal.
Furthermore, the negotiation process may be complicated by the LDK's publicly expressed demand to hold the post of president.
For the LVV of incumbent Prime Minister Albin Kurti, the country's new president should be a non-partisan and consensual figure, while for the LDK, anyone with 80 votes.
Political observers consider as legitimate the request of Lumir Abdixhiku's party - the only one that has agreed to negotiate with LVV - that it have the president, to ensure a balance in the separation of powers.
But political scientist Dritëro Arifi sees LDK's insistence on only the Presidency as a "narrow" and "unvisionary" demand, arguing that the vision should focus on government policies in a possible government between the two parties.
According to him, the position of president has no executive powers, and would not allow the LDK to influence government policies.
"Only the position of the president... I believe that if LVV is a little intelligent, it would accept it, because it doesn't mean anything. So, not even for LVV. It has very little weight, but for LDK, absolutely nothing," Arifi tells Radio Free Europe (REL).
The governing program before the distribution of positions
Political expert Ilir Deda believes that the agreement should be built on the government's program, citing as key issues the executive's approach to Serbs in northern Kosovo, improving relations with allies, and involvement in energy projects supported by Washington.
"If there is no change in policy, and a potential LVV-LDK government, then we should ask LDK why it has remained in opposition all these years, if they accept maintaining the current political course," Deda tells REL.
Arifi believes that the LDK must show that it is imposing some of its policies in the negotiations for an agreement, otherwise it will lose. He believes that Kurti is in a better position than the LDK "in every variant they are analyzing."
But the LDK's request for the post of president raises the key question of how likely it is to reach an agreement between the two parties.
Does it complicate the negotiation process, and does it increase the possibility of new elections, which would be the fourth in almost two years? For Deda, the answer is yes.
The new president: Independent or partisan figure?
According to Deda, a compromise on the presidential issue could be reached if the LDK were to propose a powerful, but non-partisan, political figure in whom it has confidence.
Deda says that the new president should be a figure who builds internal consensus, assessing that party presidents in Kosovo's recent history "have not known and have not wanted to build political and social consensus."
The LDK has not indicated whether they want the new president to be from their party or a non-partisan figure.
According to Deda, the LDK - which in the last elections presented former president Vjosa Osmani as a candidate for head of state - does not "belong" to, as a third power, propose a party member for this position instead of an independent figure, who according to him would also fulfill the request of the LVV.
Deda says that the LVV has “concreted” the position that the new president should be a consensual and non-partisan figure, evaluating it as a “right position.” Therefore, he does not believe that the LVV would accept Osmani as president.
Arifi, meanwhile, considers that neither side has principles, and recalls that Kurti had supported Osmani for president in his first term, therefore he assesses that he, "depending on personal interest, is changing his approaches."
According to him, even if LDK takes the post of president, it will still "turn out to be a losing party."
The LVV-LDK negotiations are taking place at a time of clashes in Abdixhiku's party, who days ago survived a motion for his ouster by the LDK leader.
But Arifi believes that LDK MPs would unify the votes if the narrow narrative for the post of president continues.
While political parties are trying to avoid deepening the institutional crisis, citizens surveyed by REL said they are tired of consecutive elections.
But, without an agreement on the president, Kosovo could return to the election campaign again - a scenario that neither Kurti nor Abdixhiku have ruled out. /Taken from Radio Free Europe
