Kosovo’s parliament had to be suspended Saturday after an opposition lawmaker pelted caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti with eggs, as a long-running political crisis threatens to trigger another snap election.
Europe’s youngest democracy has faced three elections in less than two years, with successive parliaments collapsing under deep political divisions.
Kurti, who has been in days-long negotiations with opposition parties over a new president, attempted to delay a key vote when MP Time Kadrijaj lobbed the yolk-filled projectiles.
“Shame on you!” Kadrijaj screamed as she launched the eggs at the leader sitting in the front row of the parliament.
The chairperson of the session called for the live feed to be cut, as security rushed to protect Kurti.
But the leader appeared unshaken by the incident and said that if having eggs thrown at him was the cost of dialogue, “I am happy to pay this price.”
The 51-year-old is no stranger to parliamentary disruption, with his own party members having previously set off tear gas in the chamber to protest against votes when they were in opposition.
Kurti’s Vetevendosje (VV) party topped the last election in June with enough of a majority to govern, but still requires a two-thirds majority to elect a new president — leaving the former activist in talks with opposition parties.
So far neither side have agreed on a candidate, leaving Kurti in a familiar stalemate.
But after a constitutional deadline to elect parliament’s speaker expired Friday, Kosovo’s political scene has again been thrown into further uncertainty.
Rival MPs have threatened legal action over Kurti’s request for more time to negotiate, and it remains unclear whether his request to delay the speaker’s election will be allowed to proceed.
Saturday’s egging, which interrupted the session before a ruling could be made, paused parliament, and another session has yet to be set.
