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| - The key partner in Kosovo's ruling coalition will file a no-confidence motion in the government, its leader said Wednesday, setting the stage for a political crisis in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The government led by two former opposition parties took office less than two months ago, ousting an old guard that had dominated the former Serbian province since its 2008 independence. But fault lines quickly opened up between the left-wing Vetevendosje party, whose leader Albin Kurti is Prime Minister, and its centre-right partner the LDK. On Wednesday the LDK's leader Isa Mustafa told reporters his party would launch the "motion of no confidence to overthrow the Kurti government" because the premier had fired an LDK minister without consultation. Earlier in the day Kurti dismissed the interior minister Agim Veliu because he had expressed support for declaring a state of emergency over the coronavirus -- a move Kurti is against, but his top rival President Hashim Thaci, the leader of the old guard, supports. "Today an LDK minister has been sacked, contrary to the coalition agreement," LDK leader Mustafa told reporters. He said the decision was also driven by concern that Kurti was poisoning Kosovo's relationship with the US, its key ally. In recent weeks Washington has intensified already heavy pressure on Kosovo to fully lift a tariff it levied on Serbian goods 2018, derailing talks between Pristina and Belgrade. Since taking power Kurti has resisted scrapping the tariff, instead pushing for a partial lift to the strong dismay of the US, the LDK and President Thaci. Serbia still does not recognise Kosovo's independence and the tariff is the latest obstacle to normalising their relationship 20 years after they clashed in war. Kosovo has "a permanent friendship with the US" and cannot undermine "our cooperation with the country that has helped us gain freedom and independence," Mustafa told reporters. For LDK to take out Kurti, it would need approval from a majority of deputies in the 120-member parliament, where the premier has only 29 seats. That could leave Kosovo without a government as it tries to halt the spread of COVID-19, which has infected at least 20 people in its population of 1.8 million. Pristina has already put strict measures in place, including shuttering schools and all businesses except for pharmacies and food stores. ih-ssm/har
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