Kurti wants "radicalization" in Kosovo

The leader of Kosovo Albanians' Self-Determination Movement says the "people of Kosovo should be radicalized". BIRN reported that the statement came, in Albin Kurti's words, "since there is no immediate prospect of full independence for the UN-administered entity". Kurti wants "radicalization" in Kosovo “Without having a real army, full control over the police and a referendum on status, every other independence model will be partial,” Kurti, a former student leader and political prisoner in Serbia told a meeting of students at Pristina University on Tuesday. Kurti said that Kosovo's ethnic Albanian political elite was not capable of achieving independence, and that models of future status being proposed “only provide independence for the existing enclaves within Kosovo.” The online publication says he was apparently referring to the ethnic Serb communities. As for Self-Determination, or Vetevendosja in Albanian, it is described as "having been active for several years, demanding a referendum on independence, which observers believe would be overwhelmingly endorsed by Kosovo's 90% ethnic Albanian population". After February demonstrations in Pristina when two demonstrators died in clashes with UNMIK police, Kurti, as the protest organizer, was arrested and charged with several offences, including obstructing officials in performing their duties, and is currently under arrest. BIRN says that Self-Determination has opposed the abortive internationally-mediated negotiations with Belgrade over Kosovo's status, arguing that a referendum is the only acceptable solution, and calling for the United Nations administration in Kosovo, UNMIK, to end its mission. The movement, which claims to be non-violent, but is often described as radical, now says that "radicalizing peaceful demonstrations is the next step". “Our aim is to peacefully put pressure on our leadership mechanisms and UNMIK to set a time limit when they [UNMIK] will leave Kosovo,” the group's latest statement says. It has launched several actions to oppose the policies of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leadership and has called for a boycott of Serbian imports.

Kurti wants "radicalization" in Kosovo

“Without having a real army, full control over the police and a referendum on status, every other independence model will be partial,” Kurti, a former student leader and political prisoner in Serbia told a meeting of students at Priština University on Tuesday.

Kurti said that Kosovo's ethnic Albanian political elite was not capable of achieving independence, and that models of future status being proposed “only provide independence for the existing enclaves within Kosovo.”

The online publication says he was apparently referring to the ethnic Serb communities.

As for Self-Determination, or Vetevendosja in Albanian, it is described as "having been active for several years, demanding a referendum on independence, which observers believe would be overwhelmingly endorsed by Kosovo's 90% ethnic Albanian population".

After February demonstrations in Priština when two demonstrators died in clashes with UNMIK police, Kurti, as the protest organizer, was arrested and charged with several offences, including obstructing officials in performing their duties, and is currently under arrest.

BIRN says that Self-Determination has opposed the abortive internationally-mediated negotiations with Belgrade over Kosovo's status, arguing that a referendum is the only acceptable solution, and calling for the United Nations administration in Kosovo, UNMIK, to end its mission.

The movement, which claims to be non-violent, but is often described as radical, now says that "radicalizing peaceful demonstrations is the next step".

“Our aim is to peacefully put pressure on our leadership mechanisms and UNMIK to set a time limit when they [UNMIK] will leave Kosovo,” the group's latest statement says.

It has launched several actions to oppose the policies of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leadership and has called for a boycott of Serbian imports.