Kosovo elects new president, opposition protests

MPs vote Hashim Thaci in as Kosovo president on Friday night amid violent opposition party protests outside parliament.

In the third and final round of voting, expected later Friday, a candidate needs a minimum of 61 votes to win.

He won the required simple majority in the third round, after the inconclusive first two stages of voting in Pristina.

The voting in the 120-seat Parliament was held without opposition lawmakers, many of whom were forced out before, suspended from participation after disrupting the work with tear gas.

Four hours into Friday’s session led by Thaci’s Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), three tear gas canisters were thrown by opposition lawmakers, prompting the chamber’s speaker, Kadri Veseli, to eject 11 MPs.

Many Kosovo Albanians believe last year’s accord with Serbia could erode that hard-won sovereignty, though its status is unclear after a Kosovo constitutional court ruling in December that parts of it breach the country’s laws.

Thaci, now 47, helped to clinch an EU-brokered agreement in 2015 that gives a small Serb minority more power over local government decisions and raises the possibility of financing from Belgrade.

They also oppose a border demarcation agreement with Montenegro.

Following the announcement of Thaci’s election, his supporters have been seen celebrating in the capital and the situation seems to have calmed down. They said protests outside parliament would continue until the government resigned and organised new elections.

“With the greatest pleasure, with the highest responsibility, I will serve to everyone and be willing to co-operate with everyone, including the political parties and every segment of the Kosovan society”, Thaci told The Associated Press.

Thaci’s election will possibly deepen the political crisis in the country, with opposition parties vowing not to step back until the government resigns.

Opposition protestors launched Molotov cocktails at the building with police using tear gas to disperse protestors.

It’s not the first time that Kosovo’s Parliament has faced disruption.

In recent days, hundreds of opposition demonstrators have been protesting in the center of Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, demanding new elections and trying to scuttle the election of Thaci.

“Hashim Thaci’s past, and his present, are damaging for the Republic of Kosovo”.

Kosovo is a former Serbian province populated by almost 1.8 million people, over 90 percent of which are Kosovo Albanians.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008.