Kosovo president resigns

PRISTINA, Kosovo, March 30 (UPI) -- The international businessman who has been president of Kosovo for five weeks stepped down Wednesday after a court said his election was illegal.

The constitutional court said the parliamentary ratification of Behgjet Pacolli's power-sharing agreement with Prime Minister Hashim Thaci was flawed because too few members of parliament voted, the Financial Times reported. Aides said Pacolli plans to run for president again.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 after several years as an autonomous region guarded by international peacekeepers. While the United States and European Union both supported the move, the country has been recognized by only 75 countries and five EU members are still withholding recognition.

Internal turmoil threatens talks with Serbia. Pacolli, head of a small political party, brought several others into the governing coalition.

Pacolli, born in Kosovo, also holds Swiss citizenship. He is head of Mabetex Corp., a Swiss-based construction and engineering firm.