Kosovo Assembly MP from Vetevendosje movement, Albulena Haxhiu, wrote on her Facebook page that “the square of opposition will be filled with the citizens of the Republic.”
Rejection by the opposition inside and by the citizens outside, will prevent Thaci from being elected president. Deputies of the Democratic League of Kosovo: Do not go to the session!” Haxhiu wrote.
Hashim Thaci’s election has gotten quite complicated. The Serbian List is asking for five demands to be met, otherwise they will leave the Assembly session, making it impossible for Thaci to be elected president. Gazeta Express has learned that the demands of the Serbian List are related to the agreements reached in Brussels during the discussions between Pristina and Belgrade. It is not known whether these demands can be technically fulfilled today.
Kosovo Assembly MP Albin Kurti, from Vetevendosje movement said to TV Dukagjini that the protest of the united opposition to oppose Hashim Thaci’s election for president of Kosovo, will start on Friday at 10:00 hours. According to Kurti, the government is trying to pass for president an individual who accepted the Demarcation and Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities. “There was no extraordinary session in Kosovo for education, healthcare or the North.
The Movement for Unification (LB), a partner in the ruling coalition, issued a media communiqué today calling on all Kosovo citizens to refrain from putting themselves in dangerous situations on Friday when the Assembly will elect the new President of Kosovo. “The situation can become tense and get out of control on Friday, when the Kosovo Assembly is scheduled to vote for the new President of Kosovo … On the same day and at the same place, the opposition and the PDK [Democratic Party of Kosovo] have announced their activities.
Opposition MPs in Kosovo again let off tear gas in parliament on Wednesday during a meeting of the Steering Committee, which met to decide the date to elect a new president.
The speaker, Kadri Veseli announced that the vote would take place on Friday, with Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci as the main candidate for the post.
Thaci's opponent for the presidency will be Rafet Rama, from Thaci's own Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK.
Kosovo Assembly MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), who is also member of the Assembly Committee for Legislation, Mandate and Immunities, Armend Zemaj, said that he would not vote Hashim Thaci for the president of Kosovo. He also stated during today’s meeting of the Committee, that Kosovo will announce early elections on 7 March. The Committee gave the green light to four draft laws foreseen to be discussed at this meeting.
According to the news site, the three opposition parties – the Vetevendosje Movement, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), are planning to set up tents on Pristina's main square in an attempt to prevent Hashim Thaci’s election as President of Kosovo. Unnamed sources told the news site that protesters will stay on the main square until 7 March, the last deadline for presidential elections after which the country would immediately have to hold early elections.
All media report that several opposition MPs were escorted by security outside the Kosovo Assembly building. Media quote Assembly President Kadri Veseli saying that 18 opposition MPs were suspended from Friday’s session after incidents involving teargas canisters. Vetevendosje leader Visar Ymeri later told reporters that MPs were forcefully escorted outside the building without a document or decision by the Assembly to support this action. “Someone made this arbitrary call. This government has lost its legitimacy,” Ymeri was quoted saying.
The leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), Fatmir Limaj, said the coalition government wants to exacerbate the political crisis by calling sessions at the Assembly. “The Constitutional Court showed that the government has violated the laws with agreements on Association and demarcation.
Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci said that today’s events at the Assembly of Kosovo, were caused by the primitive and ugly behavior of the opposition. “I believe that this continuing primitive and ugly behavior shows the real face of the opposition leaders. We will pursue economic development. No power can stop the work of the institutions, and this situation will be overcome despite what has happened,” Thaci said.