Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani has officially set December 28 as the date for Kosovo’s new parliamentary elections, announcing the decision just minutes after concluding consultations with political party leaders at the presidency.

Speaking at a press conference, Osmani explained that three possible dates were discussed, but the majority of parties favored December 28 despite acknowledging that the timeline poses significant logistical challenges for the Central Election Commission (CEC).

“January 11 has been ruled out as an option. The remaining dates were December 21 and 28. Political parties have mainly supported these two dates. Eight parties declared for December 28, five parties for December 21. Practically, I have assessed that December 28 remains the only possible date, even though it presents challenges for the CEC,” Osmani said.

The president stated that before signing the decree dissolving Kosovo’s Assembly, she made a final attempt to encourage parliamentary parties to return to the chamber and pass several key items on the agenda.

“Before signing the decree, I made a last effort for parliamentary parties to return to the Assembly today and approve the budget extensions, so that citizens’ salaries and the functioning of the state are not blocked, ensuring a budget at least until the end of March 2026,” she explained.

Osmani also proposed what she called the “presidential package”, which included international agreements worth €1 billion, the approval of Pristina’s municipal budget, and several other pending issues. However, due to a lack of political consensus, she said she had no remaining option but to dissolve the Assembly.

The upcoming vote comes after a prolonged political deadlock. Vetëvendosje, the winning party of Kosovo’s February elections, failed to form a government. For more than six months, Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s party was unable to convene the Assembly or secure the necessary votes to establish a new cabinet. As a result, Kosovo will return to the polls within a year—only one month after the country’s local elections.

The Central Election Commission now faces a compressed timeline to prepare for national elections during the holiday season, an undertaking President Osmani has acknowledged will be “challenging.”