Several news sites quote Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) MP Time Kadrijaj as saying that today the opposition was ready for debate and was not planning to throw teargas in the Assembly building. “The Assembly Presidency and the ruling coalition left the Assembly room without any prior notification and held a brief meeting. We wanted to debate today and we wanted to highlight the flaws of the government this year. The ruling coalition should have returned to the room,” Kadrijaj said.

Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), said holding of Assembly session at alternative hall does not make sense. According to him, only annulment of the agreements can bring back normality, while the attempt of the government to frighten the opposition will only aggravate the situation.

Kosovo Assembly session for endorsement of the 2016 budget is being held at an alternative hall. The suspended opposition MPs said this session is illegal.

Several news sites report that the Kosovo Police arrested Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) MP Pal Lekaj as he was leaving the Assembly premises today. Lekaj is believed to have set off one of the teargas canisters in today’s session of the Assembly. The AAK issued a press release confirming Lekaj’s arrest. “The AAK strongly condemns the political actions of the police against the MPs and their family members. There is no force that can turn us back from the righteous cause of defending the Constitution and the territorial sovereignty of Kosovo.

In a statement to the media, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) said that it is final time for the Kosovo leadership to retract agreements on border demarcation with Montenegro and Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. The AAK said that the calling of Assembly sessions at a time when Kosovo is experiencing a deep political crisis is becoming dangerous. The party called on the President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga to urgently intervene in resolving the situation.

Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) leader Ramush Haradinaj told the news site today that, the opposition will try to prevent the session of the Kosovo Assembly on Monday. “We, the opposition bloc, are discussing ways to oppose the session. We will continue to oppose the assembly sessions until the two agreements are withdrawn. We are also organizing activities and rallies. There will be a combined opposition to the assembly session on Monday,” he said. Haradinaj said there is no reason for President Atifete Jahjaga to deliver an annual speech to the Assembly.

The news websites reported earlier in the day that the Kosovo Police arrested Vetevendosje MP Albulena Haxhiu wanted for her role in the releasing of teargas at the Kosovo Assembly chamber. Haxhiu is reported to have been arrested in Pristina. In the afternoon, the media reported that another Vetevendosje MP, Faton Topalli, also wanted by the police, was arrested inside the premises of the Kosovo Assembly. In a Facebook post, Topalli said he was inside the Assembly and was not being allowed by the police to leave.

Deputy President of the Assembly of Kosovo Xhavit Haliti, says the relations between the opposition and political majority at the Assembly, have been  strained and conflicting, ever since its delayed constitution. In fact, he adds, relations are inexistent. He notes that issuance of the arrest warrant for four MPs of the opposition and Albin Kurti’s public arrest by the police, during the Flag Day at Vetevenodsje headquarters, has seriously damaged and even closed ways to discussions and dialogue.

Opposition leaders in a meeting with Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga presented their demands for overcoming the current political situation which include the annulment of the agreement with Serbia on the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities and the one on border demarcation with Montenegro as well as the release of all imprisoned opposition MPs and activists. If the agreements are not revoked, the leaders of the Vetevendosje Movement, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) demanded a referendum.

The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) has issued a press release accusing Kosovo political leaders of persecuting opposition members following the call to the party’s senior official Pal Lekaj to report to the prosecutor’s office. AAK said is it unacceptable and hypocritical of the government to, on one hand, make calls for dialogue, and on the other, to continue repressive measures against the opposition representatives.

Activists of the three opposition parties, the Vetevenodsje Movement, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), initiated today a symbolic action for the release of the arrested MPs. They stopped in front of the Kosovo Police Headquarters carrying pamphlets “Freedom for Deputies! Down dictatorship!” and “No violence can stop us.”