Qa'dah 8, 1431 H/Oct 16, 2010, SPA -- Kosovo's governing coalition collapsed Saturday when Prime Minister Hashim Thaci's junior partners, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), announced that they would pull out of his government. "On Monday, October 18, the LDK will withdraw from the governing coalition and the government of Kosovo," dpa quoted a statement signed by LDK leader Fatmir Sejdiu as saying. The party did not elaborate on the reasons for its move. Kosovo now has eight days to assemble a caretaker government or hold elections within 45 days after that. The surprise decision by the LDK came just a day after early elections were scheduled for February 13, in the wake of Sejdiu's resignation as the president of Kosovo. He was forced to step down after the country's Constitutional court ruled that he violated the law by remaining at the helm of the LDK after becoming president. Thaci's democratic Party of Kosovo and the LDK were unable to agree on the new president, who was to be elected by parliament. The lack of agreement precipitated the call for early elections. The elections may affect plans for the first direct talks between Pristina and Belgrade since Kosovo, Serbia's former province, declared independence in 2008. The European Union and United States have pushed hard for the two sides to meet. After resisting more than two years, Serbia bowed to pressure in September and agreed to open the dialogue. United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visited Pristina and Belgrade this week, urging both sides to quickly launch the talks, with a focus on practical, everyday issues such as energy, transport and trade.
