The Kosovo parliament on Tuesday passed a no confidence vote in the government led by Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, paving the way for an early election.
The proposal for a no-confidence vote, moved by the opposition Alliance for A New Kosovo, was supported by 66 deputies in the 120-seat parliament.
Among those who raised their hands for the no-confidence vote were also deputies of the ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo led by Thaci.
"This vote represents a strategy for overcoming the crisis. Your vote means a fresh start for Kosovo," Thaci said in his address before the vote.
His party described the plan for early polls as a way of overcoming the political crisis as soon as possible.
The political crisis was caused by the departure of the government ministers who are members of the Democratic League of Kosovo. They left the government after Fatmir Sejdiu, the Democratic League leader, stepped down as Kosovo President following the Constitutional Court ruling that he "broke the law by doubling as the head of state and party chief," the German dpa news agency reported today. Sejdiu resigned in mid-September.
The early parliamentary election should be held in the next 45 days. It is likely that the polls will be set for 12 December.
These developments may decelerate the announced talks between Kosovo and Serbia on their relations.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008.
