Kosovo’s parliament was suspended on Saturday after opposition lawmaker Time Kadrijaj threw eggs at acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti.The incident came as Kurti’s Vetevendosje party remained locked in negotiations with opposition groups over the formation of new institutions following the June 7 parliamentary election. The party won 53 of parliament’s 120 seats, making it the largest political force but leaving Kurti short of the numbers needed to govern alone.Kadrijaj, an MP from the opposition Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), approached Kurti as he sat in the front row and threw several eggs in his direction. She shouted “Shame on you!” as security guards and other lawmakers moved to intervene.The parliamentary session was suspended after the confrontation, with the chairperson ordering the live broadcast to be cut as security personnel surrounded Kurti. Kadrijaj later shared footage of the incident on social media.Kurti appeared unfazed by the attack and said that if having eggs thrown at him was the price of continuing political dialogue, “I am happy to pay this price.”The disruption came after Kurti asked lawmakers for additional time to negotiate a deal on the election of a new president. He had been expected to announce a candidate for parliament’s speaker but instead sought more time, saying negotiations had not produced agreement on the presidency.Kosovo has held three elections in less than two years as political divisions have repeatedly prevented parliament from functioning normally. The latest election was held on June 7 after lawmakers failed to elect a president within the required timeframe.Kurti’s party emerged as the biggest winner but still needs support from opposition parties to form a government and elect key officials. The Democratic League of Kosovo, which won 18 seats, has been seen as a potential coalition partner, but Kurti’s meetings with its leader Lumir Abdixhiku have failed to produce a breakthrough. The opposition Kosovo Democratic Party won 22 seats.The crisis deepened after a constitutional deadline to constitute parliament expired on Friday. Kurti had sought more time to negotiate rather than risk another election, but rival lawmakers have threatened legal action over the request.Under Kosovo’s rules, parliament is required to be constituted within 30 days of the final election results being confirmed. That deadline has now passed, although the consequences are unclear because the constitution does not specify what happens when it is missed.A separate two-month deadline applies to the election of a president. If lawmakers fail to elect one within that period, new parliamentary elections are automatically triggered, raising the possibility that Kosovo could return to the polls yet again.
