Protesters Clash With Police in Kosovo Over Opposition Politician’s Arrest

According to media reports, hundreds of protesters clashed with riot police overnight in Kosovo’s capital Pristina following the arrest of opposition lawmaker Albin Kurti who had fired tear gas in the national parliament.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Hundreds of protesters clashed with riot police overnight in Kosovo’s capital Pristina following the arrest of opposition lawmaker Albin Kurti who had fired tear gas in the national parliament, media reported Tuesday.

Kurti, from the leftist Vetevendosje party, disrupted a parliamentary session last week over Kosovo’s decision to give more powers to Serbian majority areas in the country. The deal was brokered by the European Union, British broadcaster BBC said.

Late Monday, some 200 demonstrators took to the streets of Pristina chanting Kurti’s name and pelting police officers with stones. Law enforcers fired tear gas at the crowd.

Local media reports say Kurti was questioned by police and released the same evening.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and is recognized by 108 UN member states, while Serbia considers Kosovo to be part of its territory. Dozens more countries, including Russia and Spain, do not recognize Kosovo as an independent state.