Successive elections take a hit on Kosovo's coffers

Article excerpt

Kosovo holds its third election in 16 months on Sunday, a costly cycle driven by political fragmentation and deadlock. The ballot pits Prime Minister Albin Kurti against former President Vjosa Osmani, erstwhile allies now at odds over governance and direction. The repeated elections drain the small Balkan nation's budget while stalling EU integration talks and complicating its fraught dialogue with Serbia. Kurti and Osmani have split over how to handle both the Serbian dispute and domestic reforms required for Brussels membership. The instability reflects deeper tensions within Kosovo's political establishment about its democratic trajectory.