Kosovo opposition tries to overturn landmark deal with Serbia

Protesteres and police fought on the streets of Pristina on 12 October 2015 following the arrest of a prominent opposition politician behind a campaign to overturn an EU-brokered landmark deal with Serbia.

Albin Kurti, from the Self-Determination party, was later released. His arrest followed an incident in parliament on the previous week in which Mr Kurti opened a tear gas canister in the parliament chamber in protest against a European Union-brokered deal to give more local powers to Kosovo's ethnic Serb minority.

Separately, on Serbia's side, authorities made it clear they had no intention to recognise Kosovo's independence, despite their willingness to accept the agreement reached earlier in 2015 regarding the normalisation of the relations between the two sides.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini following the meeting of the EU-facilitated dialogue http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-statement-by-high-representative-vice-president-federica-mogherini-following-the-meeting-of-the-eu-facilitated-dialogue/

The Guardian, 13.10.15: Street clashes in Kosovo as MP arrested for releasing teargas in parliament http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/13/street-clashes-in-kosovo-as-mp-arrested-for-releasing-teargas-in-parliament

BBC News, 13.10.15: Kosovo protesters clash with police over MP's arrest http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34512121

EUObserver, 13.10.15: Kosovo clashes highlight Balkans' fragility https://euobserver.com/foreign/130657

Euronews, 13.10.15: Kosovo opposition MP freed by police after violent street protests http://www.euronews.com/2015/10/13/kosovo-opposition-mp-freed-by-police-after-violent-street-protests/

The New York Times, 13.10.15: Kosovo Opposition Protests Detention of Its Leader http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/10/13/world/europe/ap-eu-kosovo-opposition.html

Sputnik International, 13.10.15: Protesters Clash With Police in Kosovo Over Opposition Politician’s Arrest http://sputniknews.com/europe/20151013/1028437398/Opposition-Protests-Kosovo.html

Balkan Insight, 13.10.15: Kosovo Opposition Activists Attack Police Station http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albin-kurti-released-by-police-after-heavy-attacks-10-13-2015

Deutsche Welle, 12.10.15: Kosovo police fire tear gas at crowd after arrest of opposition lawmaker http://dw.com/p/1Gmzg

EurActiv, 20.10.15: Serbia confirms it will not recognise Kosovo http://www.euractiv.com/sections/enlargement/serbia-confirms-it-will-not-recognise-kosovo-318675

---