Violent protests in Kosovo pose little risk to foreign assets but highlight

Several hundred protesters converged on the central police station at the urging of the opposition Self-Determination party, which said its founder, Albin Kurti, had been arrested.

Violence erupted after the arrest of Albin Kurti, opposition leader of the nationalist opposition movement “Self-determination”, accused of launching teargas in parliament.

Late Monday, a few 200 demonstrators took to the streets of Pristina chanting Kurti’s name and pelting police officers with stones.

LVV members and sympathisers swiftly rallied outside the police station where Kurti was detained, demanding his immediate release. “But they said that it was about the issue of the October 8 session”, Kurti told media after the protest.

Two female representatives fainted and were taken to hospital by ambulance, said a reporter who was present.

“We will not give up”.

Vetvendosje claimed that a couple of their activists got injured in the clashes with the police, who used tear gas to disperse protesters after they gathered in front of the police headquarters in Pristina.

The main opposition parties have been protesting governments recent EU-sponsored deal with authorities in Serbia that give Kosovos Serb minority greater rights in areas where they live.

Opposition MPs have been protesting against an accord reached in August between Kosovo’s government and Serbia, which European Union brokers had hailed as a “landmark” in normalising relations.

Kosovo’s ethnic Albanians broke away from Serbia in a revolt in 1999. Kurti says it represents a threat to Kosovo’s hard-won sovereignty.

Along with releasing tear gas, opponents of the deal have blown whistles and thrown eggs to disrupt recent parliamentary sessions. Independence has been recognised by more than 100 countries but not Serbia or Russian Federation.