The opposition bloc, consisting of the Vetevendosje Movement, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), issued a joint statement on today’s events at the Kosovo Assembly.

“The Government of the Republic of Kosovo is ruining and bankrupting the state, by formalizing and legalizing Serbia’s power within the territory and institutions of Kosovo. This will destroy the Republic, the sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the wellbeing of the people. No one has the mandate or right to return Serbia to Kosovo. We will not allow this to happen.

The Assembly President, Kadri Veseli, withdrew from his position today, by illegally transferring the leading of the session to a member of the [Assembly] Presidency. He, who is tasked with defending the Assembly of the Republic, avoided his responsibility. The scenario today was clear: Kadri Veseli wanted to incite a conflict between members of the Assembly.

Our protest is oriented against Serbia’s return through the Association [of Serb-majority municipalities] and against corrupt people in the government, Isa Mustafa and Hashim Thaci, who are working extremely hard to enable the return of Serbian power to Kosovo. This is why both of them reached agreements in Brussels and violated the institutional hierarchy of the Republic of Kosovo, by ignoring and disabling the Republic and its people.

The agreements reached in Brussels and the border demarcation with Montenegro will not pass. We will not allow Serbia’s return to Kosovo. Kosovo’s land will not be given away to Montenegro. The government must withdraw from these agreements.

Normalizing the work in the Assembly is normalizing the Association [of Serb-majority municipalities] and Serbia’s power in Kosovo. Corrupt government officials are the carriers of this submission. The citizens of the Republic together with MPs who hold their oath with dignity, are the ones that will defend the Republic”.