Headlines - 28.04.2017

• Protesters storm FYROM parliament after Albanian elected Speaker (media)
• Kosovo leadership condemns violence at FYROM parliament (media)
• Thaci: Belgrade, the capitol of all problems (RTK/albinfo.ch)
• Thaci: Internationals should pressure Serbia on missing persons (Epoka)
• Haradinaj addresses Kosovo people (Epoka)
• “EU to make it clear to Serbia it has to respect international law” (RFE)
• Two more months of house arrest for Vetevendosje activists (Epoka)

Protesters storm FYROM Assembly after Albanian was elected Speaker (media)

All media report that protesters stormed the Parliament in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) on Thursday after an ethnic Albanian politician was elected as speaker. A statement from the U.S. Embassy in Macedonia, published on Twitter, said: “We condemn the violence in Parliament in the strongest terms. It is not consistent with democracy and is not an acceptable way to resolve differences. It is critical all parties respect democratic processes and the law, and refrain from violent actions which exacerbate the situation. A majority of MPs elected Talat Xhaferi as Speaker of Parliament during a regular, continued session of Parliament witnessed by members of the public and the press. We will work with him to support democracy and to advance the interests of Macedonia”. NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, posted on his Twitter account he was “shocked by the attacks”. He added that “all parties should respect the democratic process and engage in dialogue, not violence”. European Union Commissioner Johannes Hahn tweeted: “violence has no place in parliament. Democracy must run its course”. EU High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Hahn issued a joint statement condemning in the strongest terms the attacks on the Members of the Parliament in Skopje. The statement noted: “The acts of violence in the Parliament are wholly unacceptable and we call for calm and restraint. The Interior Ministry and the police must ensure the security of the Parliament and its members. Democracy must run its course. We take positive note of the election of Talat Xhaferi as Speaker of the Parliament, as reported. The European Union is convinced that political dialogue in the institutions is the only way forward and we urge all political actors to honour the Constitution of the country and act in the spirit of democratic principles, decency and common sense. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is a candidate country and the European Union is ready to work with the Parliament on the necessary reforms to move the country forward on its European path”. Under the leading front-page headline Anti-Albanian attackers storm Macedonia’s Parliament, Koha Ditore reports that “Macedonian police did not stop the attack making it easy for anti-Albanian protesters to enter the premises and attack the MPs of the new parliamentarian majority”. Epoka e Re reports on its front page that this is the first time that the Macedonian parliament will be led by an Albanian politician.

Kosovo leadership condemns violence at FYROM parliament (media)

Following the recent developments at the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) parliament, President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci wrote on Facebook that the Ohrid Agreement is the right framework for ensuring democratic functioning of the country. “I am following events in the Republic of Macedonia with concern. I hail the election of the new Macedonian parliament speaker, Mr. Talat Xhaferi, and I appeal to all to refrain from violent actions,” Thaci wrote.

At the same time, Kosovo Assembly President Kadri Veseli also condemned the violence in Skopje and urged the political leadership there to preserve peace and stability. “It is in the interest of all people in the region to maintain stability and to resolve crises through political means,” Veseli wrote on Facebook.

Kosovo’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement regarding developments in FYROM and said it was closely following the situation. Kosovo’s MFA considers acts of violence against elected representatives are unacceptable and do not serve democracy, peace, and stability.

Meanwhile, Vetevendosje in a statement said the violence in the FYROM parliament was done under the silent approval of the police. The party said it hoped the situation in Skopje would not evolve into a coup d’état or a civil conflict. Vetevendosje urged the governments in Pristina and Tirana to take “immediate steps to protect Albanians in Macedonia” and also called on the international community not to allow the installment of a pro-Russian dictatorship.

Thaci: Belgrade, the capital of all problems (RTK/albinfo.ch)

President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, said in an interview for the Swiss public broadcaster SRF that Kosovo is an independent country and has the right to form its own army. “Kosovo is a sovereign country and each sovereign country has a right to an army. Our goal is to join NATO and without an army we cannot even take part in NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme,” Thaci said adding that Kosovo has waited for a long time to undertake concrete steps in this direction and that this was done to preserve international relations. SRF reported that Thaci’s “army project” is one of his many steps in the political battled with Belgrade and that he is also expected to sue Serbia of committing genocide against Albanians in Kosovo. “Belgrade is the capital of problems,” said Thaci noting that Serbia generates conflicts across the region while Kosovo enjoys very good relations with all the neighboring countries.

Thaci: Internationals should pressure Serbia on missing persons (Epoka)

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, said on Thursday that international institutions should make serious pressure on Serbia with regards to missing persons. On the anniversary of the Meje massacre, Thaci said that official Belgrade possesses archives and precise data about the Serbian army and police actions during the war in Kosovo.

Haradinaj addresses Kosovo people (Epoka)

Thousands of people took to the streets on Thursday to welcome the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj. During his address to the crowd, Haradinaj expressed appreciation to the people of Kosovo while criticizing the institutions. “Unfortunately, once again, as before, I felt as if I did not have a state. Kosovo institutions were not at their level,” Haradinaj said. He said that he was not joking when he said that the request for his extradition was a call for war. “We have to show the enemy, Serbia, its place. We have to do what Croats did, so there is no place for you among Kosovo and Albanians,” Haradinaj said. Haradinaj expressed appreciation to the U.S. for their support for freedom and independence of Kosovo. “They did not give up on us and they never will. But we have to be capable ourselves because this is the only way for the friends to have interest from us”. “We are not against friends, but we have also to show place to our yielding ones, because they are harming and shaming us,” Haradinaj said alluding on the government of Kosovo. “They are blocked for two years now and they do not dare to admit that the border (demarcation) is wrong. We have to decide if we want to create a state and army,” Haradinaj said.

“EU to make it clear to Serbia it has to respect international law” (RFE)

Former head of UNMIK, Soren Jessen-Petersen, said in an interview for Radio Free Europe that the entire proceedings against the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj were “unacceptable” and “scandalous”. “Unlike Ramush, it is clear Serbia does not respect the rule of law and perhaps doesn’t even know what it means,” Jessen-Petersen said. He added that the EU, as facilitator of the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, would have to make it clear to Serbia that it has to behave in accordance to international law. This, according to the former UNMIK chief, is necessary for maintaining the credibility of the dialogue.

Two more months of house arrest for Vetevendosje activists (Epoka)

Pristina Basic Court has extended the house arrest for the activists of the Vetevendosje movement, suspected for the attack on the Assembly of Kosovo. Vetevendosje movement reacted to the verdict saying that the process is political, unjust and clear proof that justice in Kosovo has become an instrument for the interests of the “Pronto” clan.