OSCE Mission in Kosovo condemns violent protests

(RTK1 23:00)

The Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jean-Claude Schlumberger, has strongly condemned the violence that erupted today during the opposition protests which left dozens of police officers and protesters injured.

“I am disturbed by the events we saw today. People have the right to protest, but they should express their grievances peacefully. Violence is not the answer.” said Ambassador Schlumberger.

“All parties should act responsibly and resort to political dialogue as the only way forward,” he added.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo will continue monitoring the situation closely and it stands ready to contribute to efforts aimed at defusing the tension.

Kosovo police used tear gas to disperse anti-government protesters

(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1, KTV)

Failure of Kosovo Government to meet Saturday’s deadline for the dismissal of the Serb minister for return and communities Aleksandar Jablanovic brought again citizens into the streets. Thousands of citizens positively responded to the call of the opposition parties to resume Saturday’s protest after Government failed to meet their deadline. The demands of the protestors remained the same: dismissal of Minister Jablanovic and submission of a special law at Kosovo Assembly for Trepça mining complex.

Protestors were gathered in front of the Government building and requested from the Prime Minister to immediately implement their requests.

Dardan Molliqaj of Vetëvendosje, Dushica-Bajrami of Nisma për Kosovën, Donika Kadaj-Bujupi of AAK initially addressed to the crowd.

The peaceful protest escalated into violent when protestors gave a 15-minute deadline to Kosovo Police to remove the iron-fences which were placed by the Police few meters away from Government premises. The clash between Police and protestors resulted with numerous injuries from both parties and many arrests, including Prishtinë/Pristina mayor Shpend Ahmeti, who was released shortly after.

Protestors got revolted when Police did not removed the iron-fences placed few meters from the Government building, an action which was demanded from the organizers of the protest.

Meanwhile, when the protestors started throwing stones at the police officers they responded with tear-gas.

Protest organizers tried several times to calm down the protestors and called for calmness but their calls were not taken into consideration by the protestors.

Later on, Police changed their crowd-dispersing techniques by bringing into the field water-cannons. But this technique failed as well. Protestors didn’t stop, continued to throw stones whereas Police fired tear-gas pushing the crowd from the Main Square to the Prishtinë/Pristina Cathedral.

Prishtinë/Pristina mayor Shpend Ahmeti was as well arrested but he was released shortly after.

In the evening hours of Tuesday, Kosovo Police achieved to disperse the crowd and the protest ended.

Meanwhile, following the clash, policemen and protestors requested medical treatment in KUCC. According to RTK1 forty-four policemen and twenty-nine protestors requested medical treatment, whereas according to news reports two police officers are in critical condition.

PM Mustafa and DPM Thaçi consider the protest as politically motivated

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

In an extraordinary press conference, Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and Deputy Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi condemned the violence demonstrated during Tuesday’s protest.

PM Mustafa considered the protest as politically motivated, emphasizing that this protest has caused a lot of damage to Kosovo. Moreover Mustafa called on respective institutions to ensure the safety of citizens and their property.

Meanwhile Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi noted that the protest was organized by the opposition parties and not by the citizens. Thaçi commended the police for protection of public and private property. Moreover he added that the government may be gained only through a free vote and not through violence.

“Tuesday’s protest was an attempt to take over the government through violence,” said Thaçi.

President Jahjaga calls for peace and restoration of order

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga in a press release said that the chaotic and violent scenes in the streets of Prishtinë/Pristina are unacceptable. Jahjaga urged citizen for calmness and asked for restoration of order.

She called on political leaders of all political parties in Kosovo, including opposition, to restart the dialogue amongst them and find a solution for the pending issues and end the cycle of street violence.

She also requested from the political leaders to distance themselves from acts of violence which according to Jahjaga are damaging Kosovo severely.

Jacobson: Destruction of public and private property is criminal act

(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1)

US Ambassador to Kosovo, Tracey Ann Jacobson, reacted to the violence demonstrated in Tuesday’s protest in Prishtinë/Pristina.

Jacobson in her personal Twitter account said that peaceful protests are a democratic right but she emphasized that destruction of public and private property is criminal act.

Maxhuni: Police used necessary and proportional force

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

At an extraordinary joint press conference of Kosovo Police and Prosecution was stated that over 120 protestors have been escorted by Police for questioning in police stations whereas 31 persons have been arrested.

On the other hand State Prosecutor, Syle Hoxha said that Prosecution is awaiting the information from police investigators in order to open legal cases against the arrested suspects. Hoxha assured that that all acts of the arrested will be treated accordingly to the law.

Whereas Kosovo Police Director Shpend Maxhuni, said that Police tried several times to communicate with the organizers of the protest but they refused to discuss.

Maxhuni admitted that Police has also used rubber bullets while dispersing the crowd. However, he emphasized that police used only necessary and proportional force.

Serb journalists called on institutions to condemn the recent attacks

(RTK2)

Serb journalists requested from security institutions and representatives of Kosovo and international institutions to condemn Saturday’s attack on Serbian journalists.

Budimir Nicic, head of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo and Metohija (DNKiM), expressed concerned with the lack of a system to protect Serb journalists from attacks.

Nicic said that they have tried to receive information from Kosovo Police if someone has been arrested for attacking the Serbian journalists during the protest on Saturday in Prishtinë/Pristina but according to Nicic, Police spokespersons’, namely Baki Kelani and Daut Hoxha, did not had time to discuss this issue.

Nicic criticized the representatives of Kosovo and international institutions for failing to firmly condemn the attack against Serb journalists. He considers this as a dangerous message because it can be considered that attacks on Serb journalists are allowed and nobody will be punished for that.

As a sign of protest, numerous Serb media outlets from Kosovo and Serbia boycotted the coverage of Tuesday’s protest in Prishtinë/Pristina.