PM Mustafa blames the organizers for Tuesday’s violence
(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1)
During the regular meeting of the Kosovo Government, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa considered Tuesday’s protest as politically motivated. He reiterated that the protest was an attempt to take over the government through violence.
PM Mustafa said that the aim of the protest was to take over the government without the vote of the people. He said that political parties are manipulating the citizens.
‘The main reason for Tuesday’s violence was the ultimatum issued by the protestors to the Police to remove the cordons which protected the state institutions. Since the protestors were not allowed by the Police to damage the state buildings, as they did in Saturday, and orchestrated by the organizers they attacked the Police with stones and other things. In a country with rule of law, deadlines to independent institutions are not tolerated’, said PM Mustafa.
PM Mustafa spoke also about Trepça mining complex, saying that Trepça cannot be protected by using violence against the police and public property.
While, Kosovo Minister of Interior Affairs Skender Hyseni informed the Cabinet that 20 protestors and 92 policemen have been injured during Tuesday’s protest.
However, Minister Aleksandar Jablanovic did not attend Wednesday’s Government regular meeting.
Jacobson and Cliff visited AAK
(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1, TV21)
US Ambassador to Kosovo Tracey Ann Jacobson and the United Kingdom Ambassador to Kosovo Ian Cliff visited AAK on Wednesday.
Ramush Haradinaj, AAK Chairperson said that the meeting was a consultative meeting about the violence that happened during Tuesday’s protest.
Whereas TV stations quoted Ramush Haradinaj as saying in an interview for Radio Dukagjini that Kosovo is heading towards extraordinary elections, which according to him might happen in June this year.
On the other hand the Head of the EU Office in Kosovo Samuel Zbogar visited Vetëvendosje to discuss about the recent developments in Kosovo.
TV21 reported that representatives of Vetëvendosje, Albin Kurti and Visar Ymeri told to Zbogar that Aleksandar Jablanovic should be dismissed because by denying the crimes of the Serbian forces in Kosovo, Jablanovic has attacked the history of Kosovo.
Haradinaj, Kurti and Limaj agree to continue with the protest
(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)
In the evening hours of Wednesday, AAK Chairperson Ramush Haradinaj had a joint meeting with Vetëvendosje chairperson Albin Kurti and Bilal Sherifi of Nisma për Kosovën.
Following the meeting, Albin Kurti said that it was confirmed that AAK and NISMA will again join Vetëvendosje at the next protest. Kurti said that the date for the forthcoming protest will be announced on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Haradinaj said that AAK is ready and willingly to continue the protest and invited the citizens to join it.
Bilal Sherifi of Nisma also stressed that they have agreed to continue the cooperation as an opposition block and to join the protest.
Hyseni commends Kosovo Police for managing Tuesday’s protest
(All monitored, broadcasters, KTV)
Kosovo Ministry of Interior Affairs does not want to acknowledge in any form that Kosovo Police used excessive force against the protestors on Tuesday.
Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs Skender Hyseni spoke in front of the journalists for over an hour, but his main conclusions were that the protestors caused the violence.
He blamed Vetëvendosje saying that Dardan Molliqaj’s call to Police to remove the iron-fences was the main reason for escalation.
Moreover, Hyseni said that the protestors were violent and endangered the life of the police officers. He commended the Police for successfully managing the protest. According to Hyseni, the fact that there are more policemen injured than protestors shows the good management of the situation by the Police.
In a press conference on Wednesday, the Ministry presented some of the tools which were used by the protestors in Tuesday’s protest, including a knife.
On the other hand Vetëvendosje blames the government for the violence. Albin Kurti said that the Police were ordered by the Government to stop the protest.
Meanwhile the Council for Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) makes both parties accountable for the violence. CHDRF demands investigation for what has happened during Tuesday’s protest.
Additionally, CHDRF has reported that five protestors who are being kept in custody by the Police have claimed to have been physically beaten after the arrest. KTV asked Minister Hyseni about this information but the latter was not willing to talk about it.
Kusari-Lila: Jablanovic should resign
(RTK2)
Gjakovë/Djakovica mayor Mimoza Kusari-Lila in an interview with RTK2 considered as terrible the fact that the Kosovo minister for return and communities Aleksandar Jablanovic called those who are still searching for their loved ones as ‘savages’.
Kusari-Lila emphasized that Jablanovic should resign from duty since over 90 % of Kosovars do not want him as a Minister.
Asked if she would receive Jablanovic and discuss potential return of the Serbs in Gjakovë/Djakovica, Kusari-Lila replied as saying that in the current circumstances she would not meet him. However, she said that a potential resignation of Jablanovic would calm the situation.
She once again condemned the last incident when Gjakovë/Djakovica Albanians throw stones at a bus of displaced Serbs during Orthodox Christmas in January. Kusari-Lila said that two persons have been arrested in relation to this incident.
Due to the tense situation she advised to the Serbs not to visit Gjakovë/Djakovica in February for their annual Orthodox memorial service.
Freedom House: Kosovo, partly free
(Most monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova)
The US-based human rights watchdog Freedom House in its annual Freedom in the World report ranked Kosovo among the partly free countries.
However for the first time Kosovo was included in the group of countries with electoral freedom due to the comparatively successful conduct of 08 June elections.
