Kosovo parties strike deal to elect president, breaking deadlock

?Vetevendosje, the party of Kosovo caretaker prime minister Albin Kurti and the Democratic League of 'Kosovo, the opposition, agreed to support the election of a a new president on Monday, a move which could break nearly a??years of political deadlock.

Bekim Sejdiu is a 51-year-old law professor who teaches at the University of Pristina. He was previously Kosovo's Ambassador to Turkey and the consul general of New York.

Kurti's?party, which won the snap June 7 election, only needs a few votes from smaller minor parties to form a coalition. He lacks, however, the two-thirds majority required to elect a President.

Kosovo, one the poorest countries in Europe, wants to "join" the European Union. Brussels has said that the country "needs" stable institutions capable of delivering the reforms needed for membership. Political instability has slowed reforms and access to EU funds.

Together with other minor parties, they can achieve more than 80 votes to elect the president. This is a largely ceremonial post. Vetevendosje took 58 of the 120 seats in parliament. The LDK was third with 18 votes.

Sejdiu said at a press conference after the agreement that "we hope and believe that the Republic of Kosovo will find a new way to move forward, and face the major challenges that lie ahead."

The country's third national vote in less than 18 months was triggered by the failure to elect a president.

Uncertainty remains about when the lawmakers will meet to elect a speaker of parliament, approve a government and vote for a president.

(source: Reuters)