Full statement of Prime Minister Mustafa at the conference:
Dear citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, Dear representatives of the media,
Government of the Republic of Kosovo, today, all day, followed with deep concern the violent events in the main squares of the capital, in a protest organized by opposition political parties.
Government strongly condemns the violence by the protesters which led to extreme escalation of the situation and endangering the security of the constitutional order of the Republic of Kosovo.
Government of the Republic of Kosovo expresses deep compassion for all those injured in today protest.
The Government of the Republic of Kosovo condemns political urge and violence throughout the day against public institutions, citizens, private property and against Kosovo Police.
The Government believes that it is very harmful that for political purposes to create inter-ethnic divisions Kosovo.
Kosovo police, during the exercise of its constitutional duty, was faced with illegal political ultimatums , was fiercely attacked by protesters with rocks, other strong objects and Molotov cocktails.
Squares of Pristina are damaged to a great extent, properties of citizens are destroyed , property and citizens are attacked in public areas and in their properties.
The protest today, politically motivated, has done tremendous harm to our new state.
The government condemns the instrumentalization of the protesters and the use of students in protest for political purposes by the organizers.
The government calls for termination of acts of violence against institutions, public property, the Kosovo Police, citizens and their property.
The Government of the Republic of Kosovo fully respects the right to protest as a means to express concerns and civil claims.
However , the Government of the Republic of Kosovo considers that the protest should not be used to fulfill the ambitions for power, because power is gained only by the free vote of the citizens of Kosovo, not by violence and through violence.
The Government of the Republic of Kosovo demands from constitutional bodies to ensure the safety of properties of citizens, institutions, public and private property, according to constitutional norms.
The Government of the Republic of Kosovo also calls all citizens for calm and patience.
Full statement of first Deputy Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci at the conference:
Thank you very much dear Prime Minister, dear citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, media representatives,
I fully and strongly support the opinion presented by Prime Minister Mustafa.
The protest is a democratic tool, but on Saturday and today, protests did not have the civic objectives, of the will of the people, but simply the daily politics objectives.
They have not been organized by the will of the people, but by three opposition political parties.
Dialogue, communication should take place between the opposition and position in the Assembly and not in squares.
The protests are allowed and have always been allowed, but violence is unacceptable and we will never be surrended to the violence.
I thank the citizens who did not respond to acts of violence and did not respond to calls for violent protests.
Today’s acts are acts of a small group. I thank the police for the restrained behaviour and the protection of property and lives of citizens.
Today they acted with too much sacrifice. Today, they saved Kosovo from the worst.
Violence today is not unplanned.
Some violent protests began brutal attacks against the police, injuring dozens of policemen, girls and boys of Kosovo who have swore that they will protect law and order, the Constitution and the state.
Their efforts today were highly appreciated, as well as the Kosovo Police and their self restraint was a lesson for all.
However, driven by certain politicians, they have continued to violently demolish the centre of the capital city.
Public facilities are damaged, many private bars, private properties are badly damaged, but it has also been attacked an Embassy of a friendly state, which recognized the independence of Kosovo.
These are unacceptable gestures in any protest. This is an attempt to take power by force.
The power is won by the free vote and not by acts of political violence. The power should be with the free citizens and not by acts of political violence. In this state only the vote shall determine the government, free vote. Only the Assembly is the legitimate representative of the people and the government which results from the elections and the Assembly.
Blackmails and road ultimatums will not succeed.
Government of Kosovo, as the Prime Minister said, the people of Kosovo, international friends of Kosovo – all are against violence and those that produce violence and those who enjoy the images of violence in Pristina are a minority.
Therefore, we invite the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo to trust in institutions, the Kosovo Police, in each other and I consider that there is no reason to have such views in our capital city, views of police confrontation with our citizens, where all are brothers and sisters and have one purpose – strengthening the state of Kosovo and democracy.
At the same time, we invite political parties to resolve every concern in the Assembly and democratic ways. Any other action is a los for citizens and our country.
I re-emphasise once again, what happened today in Pristina is the least that was supposed to happen to our country.
Thank you!
Last modified: July 31, 2022