Kurti: Self-Determination Movement’s Electoral Victory a Victory of the People of Kosovo

Albin Kurti (BETAPHOTO/HINA/Lana SLIVAR DOMINIC)

Acting Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who is up for re-election as the Self-Determination Movement’s candidate, has called his party’s electoral win “a victory of the people of Kosovo.”

According to him, the Movement garnering 49.30 percent of votes at the Dec. 28 repeat elections shows a clear need “to move forward with the forming of [state] institutions and for the [election] results to be confirmed as soon as possible. So far, the party has won 429,979 votes, which translates to 56 seats in the Kosovo Assembly.

At the previous, Feb. 9 parliamentary vote, the Self-Determination “won with its partners,” said Kurti, while the results of the Dec. 28 elections – necessary, after months of discord in the new parliament and the inability to form a government – are “a victory of the people and Republic of Kosovo.”

The preliminary ballot count states that Kurti’s Movement garnered 49.74 percent of votes. This number does not include conditional votes (for persons listed on the voter roll but unable to vote at the polling station where they are registered), the votes of individuals with disabilities nor votes of citizens living abroad.

In all territories with a Serb majority, the Serb Ticket won, official Belgrade has announced.

“The victory is a resounding 10 to 0. The Serb Ticket won 42,159 votes, “while Kurti’s [won] 3.956,” said President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic.

The Kosovo Assembly comprises 120 seats, of which 20 are reserved for minority representatives. Ten of the latter are for members of the Serb community.