Albanian Activists Rally for Kosovo MP’s Release

Albanian supporters of Kosovo opposition party Vetevendosje protested in Tirana against what they called the ‘political’ arrest of MP Albin Kurti, who was detained for tear-gassing parliament.

Fatjona Mejdini

BIRN

Tirana

Protesters in Tirana on Tuesday | Photo: BIRN

Several dozen activists gathered on Tuesday in front of the Pyramid, a well-known landmark in Tirana, to protest against Kurti’s 30-day remand in a top-security jail.
Students, civil society representatives and independent MP Mesila Doda took part in the rally alongside the Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party supporters.
They also criticised the recent Pristina-Belgrade agreement to create an Association of Serbian Municipalities to represent Kosovo’s Serbs, which Kosovo opposition parties believe will give Serbs too much power, and has led MPs like Kurti to repeatedly set off tear gas in parliament in protest.
Some carried placards describing Kosovo’s Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci as 'traitors' for agreeing to the deal.

Mustafa and Thaci were called 'traitors' | Photo: BIRN

Taulant, a student who took part in the rally, told BIRN that Albania’s leaders should speak out against the Association of Serbian Municipalities.
"They are afraid of international bodies in raising their voice against this anti-Albanian agreement, but we aren’t keeping quiet," he said.
The Albanian government has been careful to remain neutral about the arrests of opposition figures in neighbouring Kosovo.

A protester with a map showing Albania and Kosovo united | Photo: BIRN

Some protesters also called for the unification of Albanians in a united state, holding posters with a map of Albania and Kosovo joined together.
Abdi Baleta, a former Albania ambassador to the United Nations known for his nationalist rhetoric, said Vetevendosje’s wish for the unification of all Albanians would be granted sooner or later.
“The Vetevendosje cause of united Albanians is taking shape,” he said.

Albanian MP Mesila Doda (in sunglasses) at the protest | Photo: BIRN

Independent MP Doda criticised the Kosovo authorities for remanding Kurti, who was arrested by riot police when they stormed the Vetevendosje party’s headquarters on Saturday.
"There is no reason at all for the detention of Kurti. We cannot return to political imprisonment; this should be an obsolete concept across the Albania nation," Doda told BIRN.
Activist Erion Kristo also said that that he came to the rally to oppose what he called a politically-motivated detention.
"The detention of young activists and opposition members of parliament is a democratic national cause. This arrest is going to badly affect the political climate in Albania as well," he told BIRN.