EU and ambassadors urge Kosovo to end political deadlock
"Parliament must be constituted and government formed"
16 August, 18:58The US, UK, France, Germany and Italy also urged MPs in Kosovo not to block the parliamentary sessions and find a way out of this deadlock. "Kosovo faces many challenges, both immediate and long term, including both the IMF programme, energy situation, but also the need for economic development, strengthening of the rule of law, Kosovo's European perspective and Kosovo's relationship with Serbia," the foreign ambassadors said in the statement.
"We expect the new government, once formed, to work immediately towards reforms related to the rule of law and the economy, to deliver on visa liberalization and to constructively engage in the dialogue with Serbia. All this is crucial for Kosovo to make headway on its European path", the EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy office said.
The Kosovo Assembly has failed five times so far to appoint a parliamentary speaker, a process that would open the way to establish the new government. The process has been blocked because the coalition that won the majority in terms of seats, PAN is boycotting the parliamentary session. PAN wants to first secure a political agreement that will ensure that its candidate for prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj, is put in place.