Bekim Sejdiu has withdrawn from his candidacy for president of the Republic of Kosovo.
Sejdiu himself announced the news through a post on Facebook, where he announced that he had informed representatives of the Democratic League of Kosovo and the Vetëvendosje Movement about his decision.
Sejdiu said that he made the decision due to the lack of the necessary parliamentary support for his election to the post of president, as well as due to political developments that, according to him, have diverted the process.
Full post:
Dear citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, dear friends!
Two weeks ago, I was contacted by representatives of the Democratic League of Kosovo, who invited me to a joint meeting with delegations led by the leaders of the Democratic League of Kosovo and the Vetëvendosje Movement. There, I was informed that, after an exhaustive process of negotiations, these two parties have reached an agreement to propose my name as a non-partisan candidate for President of the Republic of Kosovo.
I consider this as a great trust in me as a person and an appreciation for my contribution to the institutional life of the Republic of Kosovo.
I express my deepest gratitude to the representatives of these two parties for honoring me with such trust and for their support throughout this process.
Being aware of the difficult period our country is going through and the risk that the institutional crisis will deepen, I have accepted to be a candidate for President of the Republic of Kosovo.
I have never considered personal comfort and intellectual indifference as options against the need to serve the country, especially in crisis situations. I have always adhered to the idea that intellectuals and professionals have a responsibility to society and that their intellectual capacities and professional skills have no value if they are not put at the service of the general interest.
As I said in my public appearance, I had no ambition for public positions beyond academic and professional ones, and my first and only motive for accepting the proposal for the position of President of the state was to serve in unblocking the institutional deadlock.
I believed that the parliamentary political parties and the members of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo would find the strength to overcome political divisions or any other interests, to give the country stable institutions in these difficult and challenging times.
In the circumstances created, characterized by the lack of the necessary parliamentary support for my election as President and by the deviation of the entire process into the vortex of internal political dynamics and clashes, I have decided to withdraw from the candidacy for President of the Republic of Kosovo.
I have previously informed the representatives of the Democratic League of Kosovo and the Vetëvendosje Movement about this decision.
The broad support that has been offered to me these days, from colleagues, friends, public and civil society personalities, and, in particular, from the Albanian diaspora in the United States of America, has made me proud of my work in service of the Republic of Kosovo.
This reinforces my unwavering belief that I have always had institutional loyalty and constitutional patriotism as the only guides in my institutional commitment. That determination, especially in defense of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, has never been selective or conjunctural, but principled and professional.
The Republic of Kosovo and its citizens do not need political drama and deepening polarization, but rather prudence and unity in order to strengthen our state.
Therefore, with the greatest sincerity, I hope that political parties will find a way out of this vicious circle, which, more than anything else, is fading citizens' hope for a prosperous future for them and their families.
The Republic of Kosovo is our common home, born of unbreakable ideals and sublime sacrifices. Kosovo stands above each of us, so, together, we owe it to serve it with devotion, always, anytime and without any conditions.
