Kosovo's Constitutional Court has temporarily banned President Vjosa Osmani from announcing the date of early elections before March 31, a decision that prolongs the political crisis in the Balkan country.
Last Friday, the head of state dissolved Parliament and called early elections after MPs failed to elect a new president within the constitutional deadline, which expired at midnight on Thursday.
The Constitutional Court's decision currently prevents the president from setting a date for the election and also suspends parliamentary proceedings aimed at electing a new head of state. This measure will remain in effect until March 31.
This judicial intervention comes amid a prolonged political deadlock in Kosovo, Europe's youngest state, which is seeking closer ties with the European Union.
The country has faced persistent political instability in recent months. The deeply divided Parliament failed to agree on the election of a president, leaving the country without a fully functioning government for much of the previous year.
The Constitutional Court's decision aims to clarify the institutional procedure before any further political steps, as tensions between different political forces continue to hinder the functioning of Kosovar institutions.
