Kosovo Parliament Erupts into Chaos as Prime Minister Gets Doused in Water
A brawl ensued in Kosovo’s parliament on Thursday when a member of the opposition party approached the podium where Prime Minister Albin Kurti was speaking and splashed water on him. The incident occurred during Kurti’s speech about efforts to diffuse tensions between the majority Albanians and the Serb-majority north, which have been escalating in recent months. The opposition party has been critical of Kurti’s handling of the deteriorating relationship, straining relations with Western allies.
Video footage from inside the parliament shows an opposition party MP throwing water at Kurti and his deputy, sparking fistfights between lawmakers from both sides. Kurti was pushed away by his MPs and bodyguards as the clashes continued until police intervention was necessary.
The altercation followed a heated three-day public debate surrounding an audio recording involving the chairwoman of Kurti’s party, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, and Serb lawmaker, Slavko Simic. The recording captured Kusari-Lila admitting to speaking with a sanctioned Serbian official, Milan Radojcic, who is wanted by Kosovo authorities due to charges related to organized crime and corruption.
These incidents occurred against the backdrop of ongoing unrest in northern Kosovo, which escalated after ethnic Albanian mayors took office following April’s elections, which Serbs boycotted as they were demanding greater autonomy as agreed upon in a decade-old deal. With ethnic Albanians comprising 90% of the population and Serbs accounting for about 5%, tensions have continued to rise between the two groups.
Kurti announced on Wednesday that he had reached an agreement with the European Union to reduce police presence in the north and implement other measures aimed at easing tensions.
In May, clashes between NATO peacekeeping soldiers and Serb protesters left 93 soldiers injured, with some sustaining severe injuries. Additionally, 52 Serbs were reported injured by doctors in the north.
The situation in Kosovo remains volatile, marked by political, ethnic, and social divisions. As tensions persist, it is crucial to find peaceful resolutions and promote dialogue as a means to maintain stability and foster constructive relationships between the different communities in the region.
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Overall, the developments in Kosovo’s parliament highlight the deep-rooted issues that persist within the country. As the government grapples with managing internal divisions and external pressures, finding a path towards lasting peace and unity remains a formidable challenge.
