New unrest brewing in Pristina; "Today we're bringing stones and bricks"

If a president is not elected today, under a ruling by the Constitutional Court of the provisional institutions, the assembly will be dissolved and elections must be held within 45 days.

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) has made the election of the president of the provisional institutions conditional on the adoption, in a second reading, of a draft law amending the Law on the Specialist Chambers. The party submitted the draft after the court convicted former leaders of the so-called KLA of war crimes.

The draft proposes narrowing the jurisdiction of the Specialist Chambers and was approved in its first reading on Monday, but Vetëvendosje and the PDK failed to reach an agreement on the second-reading vote.

On Monday, supporters of the so-called KLA protested throughout the day outside the assembly and government buildings, demanding that the amendments be adopted in a second reading. They also blocked the entrances to the assembly, preventing MPs from leaving the building.

MPs who attempted to leave were physically pulled over the fence and forced back into the area in front of parliament.

Last night, clashes broke out between supporters of the so-called KLA and the so-called Kosovo Police, which used tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators and allow MPs to leave the assembly building.

Police said six officers and 11 demonstrators were injured, while emergency services chief Naser Sila said 12 people sought medical assistance for injuries sustained during the protest — one police officer and 11 demonstrators.

During the evening, there were repeated clashes between demonstrators, who threw pyrotechnics and set fire to rubbish containers near the assembly, and police.

An organization representing former members of the so-called KLA announced that the protest would continue today. Its president, Hisni Gucati, said protesters would not come “empty-handed,” but would bring stones and bricks.

“Since Albin wants to go all the way, so will we,” Gucati said, according to Koha.

The deadline for electing the president expires today, according to a ruling by the Constitutional Court in Pristina.

If a president is not elected, the assembly will be dissolved and elections must be called.