Brussels, 11/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Saturday 9 January, the European Union criticised the violent demonstrations that took place earlier that day in the capital of Kosovo, Pristina. The demonstrations aimed at demanding the government to resign and the agreement on normalising relations with Serbia to be abandoned. Molotov cocktails and stones were thrown at the government's headquarters.
“Concerned at today's violent escalation of protests in Pristina”, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn tweeted about the violence. He urged all parties to show restraint and to “return to peaceful political dialogue through democratic means”. The opposition continues to block work at the Kosovan Parliament. Hahn said the injuries and damage to public property were “unacceptable”. More than ten people were wounded in connection with the demonstrations and around 20 protesters were arrested. Hahn has already condemned the violence on several occasions and called for calm.
The EU delegation in Kosovo also called for calm, and for violence to be renounced “as a way forward for Kosovo”.
In the view of Austria's Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, these violent demonstrations “have nothing to do with the democratic right of assembling and demonstrating peacefully”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)