Deputy Minister Mehani says Lushtaku physically attacked him. Lushtaku says citizens attacked him

Deputy Minister of Finance, Hysni Mehani, who heads the Vetëvendosje center in Skenderaj, and the party's activist, Bahri Zabeli, were physically attacked in the city center. They said they were hit by the mayor of the municipality, Sami Lushtaku, and people who were with him. Lushtaku said that the attack was carried out by citizens. Mehani and Zabeli have undergone medical treatment at the Mitrovica Hospital, while Lushtaku has returned to his office in the municipality. The prosecution has not arrested any suspects

In broad daylight, 50 meters from the Municipality of Skenderaj, Deputy Minister of Finance Hysni Mehani, who is the chairman of the Vetëvendosje Movement center in this municipality, as well as the party's activist, Bahri Zabeli, were physically attacked.

They, as well as Vetëvendosje, have said that the attack was carried out by the mayor of Skenderaj, Sami Lushtaku, and his bodyguards.

In the cafe where the attack took place, Mehan was accompanied by several Vetëvendosje activists and the candidate for MP, Arjeta Fejza. She also said that Lushtaku carried out the attack.

"Without being distracted by our conversation, without any attention to what was happening around and without any prior communication with Mr. Lushtaku, he approached and attacked Deputy Minister Mehani. First with a phone, then with a hand, then with a glass, as you had the opportunity to see the damage on his face," Fejza said.

According to her, Lushtak's companions were also involved in the attack.

"When the secretary of our center, Bardh Zabeli, tried to intervene to calm the situation, to separate them a little, to prevent that physical clash from continuing, he was also attacked by several other people around, whom I don't know who they are, nor do I recognize them, but they were with Mr. Lushtaku at that moment," she stated.

Lushtaku is the head of the Democratic Party branch in Skenderaj, a municipality in which this party has a stronghold.

He, through a post on Facebook, denied that he carried out the attack himself.

"Albin Kurti's government, through its mechanisms, attempted to attack me today in Skenderaj. I have spent my life serving the country, and citizens no longer tolerate labels like 'Sami Serbia', which is why they reacted!", he wrote.

After the attack, Mehani and Zabeli received medical treatment, initially in Skenderaj, and then at the Mitrovica Hospital.

Through a media release, the Hospital announced that both have injuries, one physical to the face and head, and the other scratches.

Lushtaku has returned to his office in the Municipality after the incident. The former KLA commander was visited by the president of the War Veterans Organization, Hysni Gucati, and his cousin, Nuredin Lushtaku, with whose political initiative he co-governs in Skenderaj.

Gucati spoke in a tone of justification for the attack.

Nuredin Lushtaku said that the mayor expressed regret for the incident, but said that he did not believe that he had hit him.

"I don't know how it happened and where it happened. What I understood from people is that the citizens beat him. I don't believe that Sami Lushtaku touched him with his hand. If we talk very simply as a citizen, with or without politics, when he feels like it, he can slap me in the face, he can beat me for a long time. But I don't believe that he touched him with his hand," said Nuredin Lushtaku.

Both said that Lushtaku was provoked, but former MP Fejza denied this.

"The topic had nothing to do with Skenderaj, we were discussing a completely different issue. Everything happened without any provocation and without any reaction from our side," she declared.

The Basic Prosecution Office in Mitrovica has not given its version of the case. It has not arrested any suspects, but has only announced that it has conducted investigations and that during the day it has collected evidence and received information from witnesses.

State officials who are exponents of the Vetëvendosje Movement, as well as other political entities, have condemned the attack on the chairman of the Vetëvendosje Center in Skenderaj, Hysni Mehani, and the party's activist, Bahri Zabeli. Both said they were attacked by the mayor of the municipality, Sami Lushtaku, and by people accompanying him.

Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti, during his speech at the opening of the Government meeting, said that the attack constitutes a cowardly act.

"We received news that the president of the LVV Center in Skenderaj, Hysni Mehani, was attacked with punches and hit on the head with a glass while drinking coffee with MP Arjeta Fejza and other activists. The Government of Kosovo condemns this cowardly and unacceptable attack that reveals a bandit mentality. Such actions do not scare us or push us to withdraw from the political race in any city," Kurti said.

Mehani is Vetëvendosje's candidate for MP for the June 7 elections.

Acting President Albulena Haxhiu has called for a professional investigation. According to her, the public mandate cannot serve as a shield for anyone.

"The public mandate is not a refuge for arrogance, nor a shield for physical force against a political opponent. I call on law enforcement agencies and responsible institutions to act immediately, with professionalism and without any hesitation, so that every person involved faces justice and is held accountable before the law," said Haxhiu.

Meanwhile, the Vetëvendosje Movement has described the attack as banditry and has demanded that the Democratic Party condemn the act.

But, until the evening hours, there was no reaction from PDK, whose branch in Skenderaj is led by Lushtaku.

And the former MP of this party, Blerta Deliu-Kodra, has said that violence is not a solution, but neither are provocations, lynchings, and systematic accusations.

"Because when the language of hatred, division and dehumanization is installed for years, the consequences are not long in coming. One thing leads to another. It has always been this way. Therefore, today more than ever, we need restraint and respect in public discourse. To ban language that produces conflict, not to fuel it," Deliu said.

The Democratic League has also condemned the violence. In a reaction from this party, it was stated that political disagreements should always remain within democratic, institutional and civic norms.

"Divisive, inflammatory and denigrating rhetoric that has become normalized in the public and digital space cannot be treated as an ordinary political phenomenon. Hate speech produces tension, violates public safety and creates an environment where violence risks being seen as an acceptable means of political confrontation. This is unacceptable for a democratic republic. The Democratic League of Kosovo considers that political disagreements should always remain within democratic, institutional and civic norms. Our republic needs political debate, a competition of ideas and visions, not lynching, intimidation or attacks on political opponents," the LDK's response states, among other things.

Incidents have also plagued the Vetëvendosje campaign in Skenderaj in January of last year, when police intervened to disperse a group of young people who had also thrown fireworks while Kurti was giving a speech to supporters.