Former guerrilla coalition given mandate to form Kosovo government

PRISTINA - 7 September 2017: Kosovo President Hashim Thaci on Thursday gave a mandate to Ramush Haradinaj, a leader of the center-right coalition, to form a government, ending the political deadlock after June 11 vote.

Haradinaj's coalition of parties made up of former guerrillas who fought Serb forces in the 1998-99 war signed a coalition deal on Monday with a small New Alliance for Kosovo party to form the government.

Under the deal, the parties' grouping will control 62 seats in the 120-seat parliament.