Supporters of Kosovo’s three main opposition parties marched through Pristina on Saturday in a largely peaceful protest of the policies of the government of Prime Minister Isa Mustafa.
Several thousand people gathered in Pristina on Saturday at an anti-government protest organised by three main Kosovo opposition parties – Vetevendosje Movement, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, and the Initiative for Kosovo, NISMA.
The protesters, led by opposition parties leaders, went on a march through centre of Pristina, stopping at all the institutions that they allege have been “seized” by the ruling parties, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, and the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK.
“I invite you to say stop to the hijacking of this government,“ Fatmir Limaj, the head of NISMA, told the crowd.
Demonstrators first stopped at the Constitutional Court demanding that its President, Enver Hasani step down. Vetevendosje activists sprayed the building with oil.
They went on to the building of the electricity distributor, KEDS, throwing energy metres to symbolize their anger at the high price of electricity.
Protesters then gathered in front of the state broadcaster, Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK), hoisting the large megaphone with “RTK – Government Loudspeakers” painted on the side.
The protest concluded in front of the buildings that house the government and parliament, where demonstrators voiced their dissatisfaction with the planned formation of the Association of Serb Municipalities, a political entity that would grant Serb-majority municipalities wide rights and distance them from the control of Pristina.
Protesters placed two billboards in front of the building – one showing “Kosovo without the association” confined within its current borders, the other showing “Kosovo with the association“ a shrunken Kosovo, with the Serb municipalities blacked out.
Opposition leaders gave the government two weeks to respond to their demands, which include: the rescinding of an electricity price increase, and the dismissal of the boards of RTK, Energy Regulatory Office, and of Justice minister Hajredin Kuci.
The demonstration was mostly peaceful, apart from some minor incidents between riot police and protesters. Police also reported no arrests.
The last major anti-government protest, in January, erupted in clashes that left more than 170 people injured and resulted in 120 arrests.
The protest, also organised by the opposition parties, called for the sacking of Serb minister Aleksandar Jablanovic for remarks he had made about members of a war victims association. He was subsequently dismissed.
