The opposition Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, said on Thursday it had withdrawn its demands to name the country’s new president in an attempt to end the political deadlock that has paralysed Kosovo since parliamentary elections in June.

Lumir Abdixhiku, the LDK leader, said that while talks with the poll-winning Vetevendosje party’s leader Albin Kurti over a government partnership had not yet produced results, he was offering new talks about the election of a new president – which is crucial to avoid new parliamentary polls.

“From this moment, no one has any reason, alibi or the right to delay the inauguration of parliament, the formation of the government and starting negotiations on a new president. We are late and should not waste any more time,” Abdixhiku said in a video message after a meeting with the party’s parliamentary group.

“The constitutional uncertainty is a reality we cannot ignore … The crisis does not seem to have an end and it’s getting worse and worse,” he added.

“We are ready to discuss the election of a president who defends our republic’s interests and its constitution, represents people’s unity and exercises the constitutional responsibilities. We are not asking for any posts or any political compensation in return,” he continued.

In the June elections, Kurti’s Vetevendosje won 53 of the 120 seats in the Assembly, well ahead of the Kosovo Democratic Party, PDK, which won 22. The LDK won 18 seats and has until now insisted on having the president’s post, which Vetevendosje has deemed a “disproportionate” demand.

Kurti will likely obtain a simple majority in the Assembly to form a new government, by again relying on the support of MPs from various ethnic minority communities – Roma, Ashkali, Egyptian, Turk, Bosniak – plus one of the Serb MPs.

However, the wider crisis that led to the June 7 elections has not been solved; the parties still need to agree on the election of a new president within two months of the inauguration of the new parliament, or it will trigger another election.

Speaking on Friday, Kurti did not specifically say if he will accept the LDK offer, but welcomed Abdixhiku’s willingness to include other parties in negotiations over the presidency.

“We are open to further discussions in order to come to a name or names [for the presidency], someone who is out of the current political scene, out of daily party polemics, and who is a unifying figure,” Kurti said.

“We want to agree in advance in order to avoid new elections. The election of a parliament speaker and a cabinet is not a challenge, so we have to agree on the election of a president,” he added.

Meanwhile a group PDK MPs protested on Friday for the second day in a row in front of acting premier Kurti’s office, demanding the resumption of parliament’s inaugural session. This was interrupted last Saturday when Kurti asked for “more time” to discuss the issue of a new president with other parties.

So far, Abdixhiku and Kurti have met twice but have not found a common ground on new institutions. In his video address, Abdixhiku disclosed that the LDK was offered three ministries in Kurti’s next cabinet – “a disproportion we could not afford”.