KDI: Closing the session by the chair constitutes a violation of parliamentary regulations and practice

The Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) has expressed deep concern over the repeated failure of the Assembly to approve the report of the Temporary Committee for the Verification of Mandates, one of the necessary steps towards the constitution of the Assembly and the beginning of the work of the new legislature.

KDI emphasizes that the failure to formally resign by the Prime Minister and the incumbent ministers who have been elected MPs, in addition to being a clear violation of the principles of the separation of powers, is preventing the vote on the report, directly violating the institutional functionality of the Assembly.

Read too Constituent session fails again – report on verification of MPs' mandates not put to vote

"KDI recalls that according to the legislation in force, members of the executive must resign, even before the certification of the election results. Likewise, constitutional provisions prohibit the exercise of functions incompatible with the mandate of a deputy."

"Failure to comply with these provisions is not a matter of technicality or procedural interpretations - but a clear violation of the norms that regulate the exercise of public functions in a democratic order," the reaction states.

KDI also assesses that today's closing of the constitutive session by its Chair, MP Avni Dehari, constitutes a violation of parliamentary regulations and practice, as it was interrupted without a vote on the report by the Temporary Committee and without any of the agenda items being consumed.

"Such an action, which bypasses procedures without a formal decision of the Assembly, seriously undermines the legitimacy of the process and further adds to the uncertainties surrounding the functioning of the session."

"The fact that the Assembly is failing to verify the mandates due to this impasse created by the lack of formal resignations indicates a lack of will to respect the law and allow the normal functioning of institutions. This action, or rather inaction, on the part of the members of the Government in office is turning a standard and simple procedure into an unnecessary political and institutional crisis," the reaction further states.

KDI calls on the Prime Minister and the incumbent ministers who have won mandates as MPs to respect the clear legal obligation to formally resign from executive positions, in order to enable the conclusion of the constitutive session of the Assembly.

"Institutions cannot be constituted by bypassing the law. Any further delay is political irresponsibility and undermines citizens' trust in the democratic process," KDI assesses. /Telegraph/