Kosovo’s parliament has elected Justina Shiroka Pula as president following a late-night agreement between political rivals, appearing to avert another snap parliamentary election.
The Kosovo Presidency’s announcement confirms that she received 81 votes and took the constitutional oath before lawmakers. The election took place during a parliamentary session that began on 6 October and continued into the early hours of 7 October.
Shiroka Pula secured one vote more than the 80 required in the 120-seat assembly, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Her selection followed negotiations between Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s governing Vetevendosje party and the opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo, known as PDK.
Agreement followed dispute over war crimes court
The presidential election was tied to opposition demands for changes to the law governing the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, the Hague-based court that prosecutes crimes connected to Kosovo’s 1998–99 war.
RFE/RL reports that parliament approved the amendments in a second and final reading with 88 votes immediately before the presidential ballot. The PDK had insisted that lawmakers pass the changes before proceeding with the election, while Kurti initially wanted the presidency settled first.
Reuters reports that the agreement followed protests demanding restrictions on the court’s powers. Police used tear gas and water cannon during demonstrations on Monday.
The dispute intensified after the court sentenced former president Hashim Thaci and three other former wartime leaders in September.
Vote timing could face scrutiny
The result resolves the immediate political impasse over choosing a president, but questions remain about when the election process was completed.
Prishtina Insight reports that the results were announced 13 minutes after midnight, despite the constitutional deadline falling at the end of 6 October.
RFE/RL similarly reports that voting began six minutes before midnight and concluded after the deadline. It says some experts raised the possibility of a legal challenge, although none had been announced in its initial report.
President pledges to serve all citizens
Shiroka Pula is an economist who previously served as energy and mining minister from 2008 to 2011 and as a PDK lawmaker from 2011 to 2014. She becomes Kosovo’s third woman president, following Atifete Jahjaga and Vjosa Osmani, Prishtina Insight reports.
In her acceptance speech published by the Presidency, she pledged to represent citizens regardless of political, ethnic or social background.
She also promised to uphold the constitution, strengthen institutions, and work towards unity, justice, and development. Those commitments now accompany a presidency secured through compromise after months of political uncertainty.
