Tensions have escalated in Kosovo after protesters clashed with police outside government and parliament buildings in Pristina, demanding that lawmakers approve legislation limiting the powers of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, the Hague-based court that prosecutes war crimes connected to the 1998–99 Kosovo conflict.
The protests follow the recent convictions of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and three other former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders. Together, the four received 81 years in prison for war crimes. Their convictions have triggered weeks of demonstrations, with many Kosovars regarding the former KLA fighters as heroes of the country’s independence struggle.
Violence erupted after parliament approved proposed amendments in a first reading but did not complete the second vote needed to pass them. Demonstrators blocked parliament exits, while some threw stones and firecrackers. Police responded with tear gas and water cannon. Police said at least 17 people were injured, including six officers, and three protesters were detained.
The proposed amendments would cap prison sentences at 15 years, allow appeals to Kosovo’s Supreme Court, permit convicted individuals to serve sentences in Kosovo and allow presidential amnesty. Prime Minister Albin Kurti has criticized the effort as rushed and insufficiently considered.
The controversy is also deepening Kosovo’s broader political crisis, with the dispute over the court becoming entangled with efforts to elect a new president.
News as Reported.
