Twelve people have sought medical attention after clashes between police and protesters in Pristina on Monday night. Emergency Director Naser Syla said one of the injured is a police officer and 11 are protesters. Syla also said their condition is stable and they have been released after treatment. Three of the injured were treated for stab wounds.
"So far, 12 people have sought medical assistance at the Emergency Center, including one police officer. All have received appropriate treatment and their condition is stable. After the treatment provided, all have been released home. Eight of the injured were treated by the Ophthalmology Clinic team due to tear gas exposure, while three others suffered cuts," Syla said in a response to KOHĖN.
On Monday evening, the situation in Pristina escalated after a protest in front of the Kosovo Assembly in which protesters demanded that the Draft Law on Amending the Law on Specialized Chambers be passed into a second reading.
On "Agim Ramadani" street in the capital, the Special Unit has come out with armored vehicles and a water cannon with the aim of dispersing the protesters. A tense situation has also reigned in the areas around the Kosovo Parliament, where tear gas has once again been thrown at the protesters.
Previously, containers were burned and tear gas was thrown on "Agim Ramadani" street, while protesters threw pyrotechnic devices at police officers and the Kosovo Assembly institution.
Çlirim Haziri, one of the organizers of the protest, said that the Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, attacked the women and children in front of them and fled.
"That Xhelali who is sitting today on the armchair that was raised on the blood of martyrs, today fell on us, he shot us in front of our children, in front of our women, in front of our mothers and ran away with his tail under the saddle. Just like a coward. They are continuing to shoot us, and we will continue to resist, we will not stop," Haziri told the protesters.
Meanwhile, Kosovo Police said that despite the protesters' repeated requests and calls to respect the law and protest peacefully, police officers were forced to use tear gas to allow MPs to leave the Kosovo Assembly and bring the situation under control. Police said that material damage was caused, but no serious injuries were reported.
"Despite the continuous requests and calls from the Police to respect the law and to protest peacefully, police officers were forced to use legal police tools, tear gas, to enable the exit of the personalities from the Parliament and to bring the situation under control. As a result of the throwing of various objects, pyrotechnic devices, fireworks, lighting of several garbage containers and fires on the street by the protesters, material damage has been caused, but fortunately so far there have been no reports of any serious injuries to persons. The Kosovo Police reiterates that it recognizes the right of citizens to protest and express their dissatisfaction in a peaceful and democratic manner and continues to appeal to all participants to protest peacefully, not to damage public property and to respect the laws. As long as the protest continues, police officers will be present on the ground to guarantee public order and safety, the safety of citizens and state facilities as well as the smooth running of the protest continue to be a priority for the Police." of Kosovo," the Kosovo Police statement said.
Kosovo Police has also published a statement with the latest data from the protests that escalated in Pristina. According to the statement, six police officers have suffered injuries and received medical treatment, and 11 protesters have also sought medical assistance.
As stated further in the announcement, Kosovo Police intervened with tear gas, including water cannon to disperse the protesters in order to prevent further escalation of the situation.
During the day, protesters also took violent action against several deputies of the Vetëvendosje Movement, namely Farush Rexhepi and Sami Kurteshi. Government official Besnik Bislimi was also obstructed, while physical violence was used against journalist Jeton Sopa.
The Democratic Party of Kosovo has not reacted to the protesters' behavior towards MPs and the attack on the Parliament, but has condemned, as they have said, the police violence against the protesters. The PDK has demanded from state bodies "the cessation of any disproportionate action that is seriously violating the right of citizens to protest."
Musmurati: Deputies are not being allowed to leave the Assembly, we await the vote on the Draft Law in second reading
The Deputy Mayor of Pristina, Besianë Musmurati, said that protesters are standing near all entrances and exits of the Parliament, preventing MPs from leaving the building.
She has requested that the Draft Law on Amending the Law on Specialized Chambers be voted on as soon as possible in second reading.
In a statement to KTV from the protest being held outside the Parliament premises, Musmurat called on citizens to join the protest in "Skënderbeu" Square, emphasizing that the process has not ended with the approval of the draft law in the first reading.
"You can already see that at all the entrances and exits of the Assembly there are citizens who are standing nearby and not allowing the deputies to go out, because we want the law to pass the second reading... Nothing has been completed yet. Only the first reading has been completed and we will not back down until the second reading is voted on," she said.
According to Musmurat, the protesters' demands have been the same from the beginning: the adoption of the law and the provision of funds.
She said that the protests will continue until these demands are met.
Musmurati also said that the organizers have repeatedly called for calm and stressed that the protesters have no stance against the Kosovo Police.
Haxhiu calls on protesters to remain calm: The KLA does not defend itself with violence
Photo: Driton Paçarada
The Speaker of the Parliament, Albulena Haxhiu, has called on protesters to remain calm.
She said that the right to protest is guaranteed by the Constitution and applicable legislation, but added that the KLA does not defend itself through violence.
"From this podium, I call on the protesters to maintain the peaceful nature of the protest, because violence harms the cause we want to defend, that of the KLA and that of our liberators. The Assembly approved the draft law in principle, therefore I call on everyone to maintain calm and for the protest to continue peacefully. Parliamentary groups should also make the same call. We cannot defend either the KLA or the liberators with violence. Their values are not defended with violence," she said.
Pyrotechnic devices have been thrown into the courtyard of the Kosovo Parliament by several protesters standing in front of this institution.
Kurti and Hamza meet today at 12:30 in the Parliament
Photos: Archive
The leader of Vetëvendosje, Albin Kurti, will meet with the leader of PDK, Bedri Hamza, today at 12:30.
Kurti announced the meeting in his speech at the session where MPs approved in principle the Draft Law amending the Law on Special.
The PDK, which initiated the initiative to amend the Law, said they expect it to be approved on Monday in both readings.
PDK Chairman Bedri Hamza said that after the approval of the draft law, his party is ready for an agreement with Vetëvendosje on the election of the president, with the aim of avoiding new elections.
The deadline for presidential elections is October 6th.
Meanwhile, Kurti, in his speech to the Parliament on Monday, emphasized the need for institutional stability.
"We need a law for the Hague Tribunal but also a president for Kosovo. One cannot be done without the other. We need a serious strategy, but to implement that strategy we need functional institutions. A law for The Hague without institutional stability risks ending in failure," Kurti said.
A Parliament window is broken by fireworks thrown by protesters
The plenary session in which the Draft Law on Amending the Law on the Special Court was voted on and which is continuing with other items on the agenda, is being held amidst the noise of pyrotechnic devices being thrown by protesters in the courtyard of the Parliament.
The protest has not been as peaceful as in previous days, as several hours have passed since they began using these fireworks.
Organizers have called for the protest to continue peacefully.
Police officials have called for these devices not to be thrown at the Parliament building, but the calls have been ignored by the young people who are throwing fireworks.
The KOHË team on the ground reported that a window on the second floor of the Parliament building, which is used to pass through the Parliament premises, was broken.
A call has been made to be careful so that no one is hurt.
Such a reaction was prompted by the arrival of the Minister of Justice, Donika Gërvalla, who was insulted and thrown at with pyrotechnic devices and cursed as she entered the Parliament.
The fireworks are being thrown by a group of four or five people.
The Draft Law on Amending the Law on Special is Voted in Principle
The Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on Special was voted in for first reading with 91 votes.
The LDK Parliamentary Group did not participate in the vote.
MP Përparim Gruda has presented proposals for amending the Law on Special.
Among other things, he stated that the 6-year process in the Special Court has proven beyond any doubt that there was no organ trafficking, the accusation on which the Special Court was founded. He said that another black cloud has now been cast over Kosovo, which the Assembly should not allow.
It has stated that it does not violate any international obligations with this action.
"We are okay with all the international actions that Kosovo has taken and we are okay with the Constitution," he said. Gruda called for a vote on the first reading.
The Chairman of the Legislation Committee, Vigan Qorrolli, has recommended that the Draft Law in question be approved in principle.
On Sunday, the PDK, which initiated the initiative to amend the Law, said that they expect it to be approved on Monday in both readings.
PDK Chairman Bedri Hamza said that after the approval of the draft law, his party is ready for an agreement with Vetëvendosje on the election of the president, with the aim of avoiding new elections.
The deadline for presidential elections is October 6th.
After approval in principle, the Draft Law must be reviewed by the four permanent committees of the Assembly, to be returned to the session for consideration in second reading.
Haradinaj: AAK votes to amend the Law on Special, its decisions are an insult to the people
Photo: Driton Paçarada
Alliance MP Ramush Haradinaj stated in the Assembly session on amending the Law on Specialized Chambers that the convictions against former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army constitute, as he put it, an insult to the people of Kosovo, the institutions and justice.
He said that the Alliance supports this change to the Law, requesting that it be processed urgently and approved in both readings within the same day.
"We are deeply offended. A condemnatory decision for the leaders of the KLA is an insult to the people of Kosovo, to our blood, to this Parliament and even to justice. The Alliance votes for today's law and we ask this Parliament to pass it in both readings with a motion and to pass it today," said Haradinaj.
According to him, the most appropriate response to the decisions of the Special Court would be its annulment.
"The honor of Albanians, ours, of this Assembly would be a law with one article and the annulment of this court. We are not at fault with this law, it is too little, too late," he said.
Kurti: We support you, but along with your vote, you must also take responsibility
Photo: Driton Paçarada
Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said that the people's just war was a war of liberation. The KLA, according to Kurti, was the highest expression in history since the League of Prizren.
He said that the war was a response to the genocide committed by Serbia against Kosovo.
Kurti, in front of MPs, said that there can be no trial for the KLA.
He has stated that the moves to change the law are hasty and not well analyzed.
"It has been a short time to analyze the law, especially when we do not have the final verdict. These movements to change the law on the Special Court are urgent and have not been analyzed sufficiently. Urgent actions were also taken in 2015. You did not listen to us then, but today you should consult us. The anger of citizens is justified. Complaints about the court should be directed to those who established it and not to those who opposed it," he said.
He said they will not hinder them, but along with this vote, they must also take political responsibility.
"We are telling you that this issue requires more time and more analysis. You are telling the citizens that you have the solution. We are not convinced that this is so, but we will not stop you. You must consider not only the reason that pushes you to vote today, but also the consequences that this vote may produce tomorrow. It is not enough to just react to an injustice, but we must ensure that, by trying to correct one mistake, we do not produce another. However, we are not stopping you. But, along with this vote, you must also take political responsibility", Kurti expressed.
He added that they are not convinced of the usefulness of this law.
"We need a law for the Hague Tribunal, but also a president for Kosovo. One cannot be done without the other. We need a serious strategy, but to implement that strategy we need functional institutions. A law for The Hague without institutional stability risks ending in failure," he said.
He thanked Hamza for the meetings, and announced a meeting today as well.
LDK does not vote on the amendment to the Law on Special
Photo: Driton Paçarada
Jehona Lushaku - Sadriu, LDK MP, said that the KLA's war is sacred, but said that she cannot be part of this initiative.
He said that no individual responsibility can be transformed into collective guilt nor undo the liberating character of this war.
She stated that they cannot promise that a vote in the Assembly can overturn a verdict or replace the legal battle.
"Amending an ordinary law does not abrogate obligations and cannot bypass the Constitution. The mere adoption of these amendments does not guarantee their implementation nor the result promised to citizens today. The approved amendments cannot be subject to constitutional review," she said.
He said that for the LDK, the only way to change a verdict is through the courts, through the appeals process.
Protesters throw pyrotechnic devices near the Parliament during the session on the Law on Special
While a plenary session is being held with the first item on the agenda being the amendment of the Law on Special, protesters near the Parliament premises have begun using pyrotechnic devices.
The KOHË team on the ground reported that the explosions of these vehicles began to be felt more intensely during the speech of the head of the Vetëvendosje Parliamentary Group, Arbërie Nagavci.
Their throwing did not stop even when the deputy and leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Bedri Hamza, took the floor, the party that initiated the amendment of this law.
Hamza: This issue is about the history and future of the country
Photo: Driton Paçarada
PDK Chairman Bedri Hamza said that this issue has to do with the country's history and its future.
He added that they have sought and continue to believe in justice.
He called the Special Trial a difficult process for the country.
"The Constitution was created and amended based on the report, which contained terrible accusations. I am sure that there is nothing in those accusations. They cannot be substantiated with evidence or facts. And those who have paved the way for Kosovo, those who have gained freedom and independence, voted for that court. That the Court has deviated from what was voted for is very true," he said.
He added that so far none of the allegations have been proven.
He said they are not asking for the crime not to be tried. According to him, each victim should have their right to justice.
"We are not asking to close the Court, we are asking for accountability," he said.
He added that at the time when the KLA was organized, neither the PDK nor the Vetëvendosje Movement existed.
Nagavci: LVV was against Speciale then, it is still today
Photo: Driton Paçarada
Arbërie Nagavci, a member of parliament from the LVV, said that the issue of the Special Court should be resolved in the spring of 2015. She stated that the LVV was against the Special Court and holds the same position today.
"The parliamentary majority at that time made a different choice by approving the law. 11 years later, the reaction is delayed and the solutions are hasty. We will support this effort," she said. "The appeal must be trained with the utmost seriousness. The consequences of this process have gone beyond the courtroom. Changing the law today does not undo this damage. The KLA cannot be identified with this type of verdict," she said.
LDK does not participate in the vote to avoid the procedure for amending the Law on Special
LDK MPs did not participate in the vote on the proposal to avoid regular procedures for the approval of the Draft Law on Amending the Law on the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.
Meanwhile, in the session where the Draft Law is being reviewed, apart from the deputies of the Serbian List, neither the deputy of Minister Nenad Rašić's party, Lazar Radulović, nor Rašić nor the Minister of Justice Donika Gërvalla is participating.
Session begins, Parliament considers in principle the amendment to the Law on Special
Photo: Driton Paçarada
The session to review the Draft Law on Amending the Law on Specialized Chambers has begun.
In the hall are the deputies of all parliamentary groups, with the exception of the deputies of the Serbian List. The deputies of the LDK arrived last in the hall.
Full draft of the Draft Law on Amending the Law on Special
This is the full draft of the Draft Law on Amending the Law on Kosovo Specialist Chambers.
It has passed in principle to the Legislation Committee and is expected to be voted on in the plenary session.
More than half an hour has passed since the session was supposed to start.
Half an hour has passed since the extraordinary session was supposed to begin, in which the Draft Law on Amending the Law on Special Procedure is expected to be reviewed.
The session had been called at 9 o'clock.
So far, only a few deputies from the PDK and the Alliance are present.
As of 8:00 AM, the Legislation Committee has approved in principle the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on Special.
The Legislation Committee approves amendments to the Law on Special
Photo: Driton Paçarada
The Legislation Committee has approved in principle the Draft Law on Amending the Law on the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.
At the meeting held on Monday, shortly before the plenary session, it was voted unanimously by the members of the Commission who were present. 9 deputies voted in favor of amending the Law, while there were no votes against and no abstentions.
It is now expected to be reviewed in principle in the plenary session.
PDK MP, Përparim Gruda, while justifying the request for amendment of the Law, said that it aims to take away part of the jurisdiction of the Special Court.
"We have found a solution that does not affect either the Constitution or our international obligations. All we have done is that by amending the Law on Specialized Chambers, which is an ordinary law, we take away part of the jurisdiction of the Specialized Court, that is the part of war crimes, which was never the purpose of the Specialized Court," Gruda said.
The Chairman of the Committee, Vigan Qorolli, said that the LVV deputies will vote in favor of these changes.
"We are in a situation where we as a committee will unanimously approve the change in the law. We in this constitutional hierarchical order must be very careful. On behalf of the deputies of the LVV, we will vote in favor. We will help overcome this situation because the just war of the KLA is the most glorious part of our history. The four leaders of the KLA must be presumed innocent because they are innocent. Our vote will be in favor of the changes," he said.
Besnik Tahiri of the Alliance said that the 6-year legal process proved to us that what this court was established for has been exceeded.
"What we as the Legislation Committee should say is that changes in the premises of political standards are very normal because laws are not holy books that do not change. They change over time. The institution must reflect and we are here today to take these actions," he said.
With chants of "Vote for the law", protesters gather in front of the doors of the Parliament
Photo: Driton Paçarada
(Updated text) - With the call "Vote for the law", protesters gathered in front of the doors of the Kosovo Assembly and at the entrance behind the building.
The protest was called by the Organizations that emerged from the war and the platform "Not in My Name".
A number of citizens stayed all night in "Skënderbeu" Square in Pristina before the vote on the amendments to the Law on Special.
The Legislation Committee voted in principle this morning on the draft law amending the Law on Special. This item is the first item on the agenda in the convened session.
Protesters spend the night in front of the Parliament
A number of citizens have been protesting since Sunday evening before the entrance of the Kosovo Assembly, as part of the protest organized by the "Not in My Name" initiative, demanding that MPs vote on the legal changes for the Specialized Chambers.
The initiative has called on citizens to gather again on Monday at 08:00 in front of the Parliament, at the time when the draft law on amending and supplementing the Law on Specialized Chambers and the Specialized Prosecutor's Office is expected to be reviewed.
Also, at 09:00, the Organization of Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans (OVL-UÇK) has announced a protest in front of the Parliament, demanding that MPs vote on the legal changes.
