Kosovo PM Kurti pelted with eggs in parliament as political crisis deepens

Kosovo's parliament session was halted on Saturday when Time Kadrijaj, a lawmaker from the opposition Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), shouted "Shame on you!" and threw eggs at caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti. Kurti responded calmly, saying he was willing to accept such a price if it meant progress toward dialogue.

Kurti's own left-wing Vetevendosje (VV) party has a history of disrupting parliamentary sessions, including releasing tear gas in the chamber in 2018 and on several occasions in 2015. The AAK, which holds seven seats, is the fourth-largest opposition party in parliament.

A prolonged political deadlock

The egg-throwing incident followed days of negotiations as Kurti tries to secure enough opposition support to elect a new president amid Kosovo's wider political crisis. The country has held three elections over more than two years.

Kurti secured his parliamentary majority with the help of ethnic minority MPs following a December election, which itself followed an inconclusive vote in February 2025. In a snap election in June, VV's vote share dropped from 51% to 43%, though the party retained its majority together with ethnic minority allies.

However, electing a president requires a two-thirds majority in parliament, and current talks appear stalled again, with no side agreeing on a candidate. A constitutional deadline for electing a parliamentary speaker passed on Friday, and opposition lawmakers have threatened legal action over Kurti's request for additional negotiating time.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, following the 1998-99 war that ended after Serbian forces withdrew amid a NATO bombing campaign. More than half of the world's countries, including the United States and most EU members, recognize Kosovo's independence, while Belgrade continues to regard Kosovo as part of Serbia.