PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — The left-wing opposition leader who’s poised to become Kosovo’s next prime minister says that he would push hard for his country to join the European Union. But he also urged the bloc Monday to provide an economic aid package to help smooth the path to membership for western Balkan states. Albin Kurti’s Self-Determination Movement Party, or Vetevendosje!, won a clear victory with 48% of the vote in Sunday’s early election held amid the pandemic, an economic downturn and stalled negotiations with wartime foe Serbia. About 99% of the vote had been counted Monday. The center-right Democratic Party of Kosovo, or PDK, came a far second with 17% and the conservative governing Democratic League of Kosovo, or LDK, got 13%.
