Kosovo PM, Opposition Dismiss Thaci's Plan to Seal Serbia Agreement

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said on Friday that no one should question the competences of the assembly after Kosovo President Hashim Thaci asked the Constitutional Court whether an international agreement signed by him would be considered ratified.

Thaci's request comes amid heated debate on a Kosovo-Serbia deal, and shows his apparent determination to obtain the legal right to close a final agreement with Serbia without the parliament's consent. 

"We have never questioned the competences of the President, but the competences of the assembly should not be questioned either," Haradinaj said.

"Changing of borders will never have my vote," he added, referring to the President's known interest in border adjustments as a means of bringing about a final agreement with Serbia, which refuses to recognise Kosovo as an independent state.

The Pristina-based newspaper Koha reported on Thursday that Thaci asked the Kosovo Constitutional Court to interpret Article 18 of the constitution on the ratification of international agreements.

"Thaci has asked the Court whether international agreements signed by the President and without the approval of MPs are considered ratified," the media outlet reported.

Article 18 of the constitution reads: "International agreements relating to the following subjects are ratified by a two-thirds vote of all deputies of the Assembly: (1) territory, peace, alliances, political and military issues; (2) fundamental rights and freedoms; (3) membership of ... international organizations; (4) the undertaking of financial obligations by ... Kosovo."

According to the newspaper, Thaci cited the precedent for extending the mandate of the EU rule-of-law mission in Kosovo, EULEX, which was done only...