President Hashim Thaci said on Wednesday that he had signed the decree to impose a state of emergency across Kosovo to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The decree still has to be confirmed by two thirds of MPs at a vote in parliament.  

“Based on my constitutional duties as President, after tonight’s meeting w/ the Security Council of Kosovo, I signed a decree to declare the State of Emergency amid the situation created by the COVID-19 outbreak,” Thaci wrote on his Twitter account.  

Based on my constitutional duties as President, after tonight’s meeting w/ the Security Council of Kosovo, I signed a decree to declare the State of Emergency amid the situation created by the #COVID19 outbreak. I call on the Parliament to get united & to ratify it. pic.twitter.com/yrXZgWXMQT

— Hashim Thaçi (@HashimThaciRKS) March 17, 2020

Thaci told a Tuesday evening media conference after a meeting of the Council that he intends to declare a state of emergency. Deputy Prime Minister Haki Abazi responded saying that Prime Minister Albin Kurti disagreed with Thaci at the meeting.

Under the state of emergency Kosovo would be ruled by the president. The health authorities in Kosovo have reported 19 SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus cases to date.