Haxhiu: Albanian institutions should take protesters’ demands seriously

Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, has called on Albania’s institutions to listen carefully to and seriously address the demands of protesting citizens, particularly those of students.

Haxhiu made the comments following a meeting of the Assembly Presidency, emphasizing that Albania’s Assembly, Government and Presidency should give due importance to the protesters’ concerns, including issues that have been raised for years.

She condemned the use of violence and called for such behavior to be stopped by both sides, protesters and the police alike. According to Haxhiu, institutions must act seriously and not display arrogance, as such an approach could further escalate the protests.

The Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo said the situation should be overcome through restraint and responsibility, while divisions should be addressed carefully.

Regarding claims that the Vetëvendosje Movement was involved in the protests, Haxhiu clarified that the party had not called for participation. She stressed that LVV cannot be held responsible for the individual decision of citizens from Kosovo who chose to join the protests.

Haxhiu added that citizens’ participation in these gatherings cannot automatically be attributed to LVV solely because of the support the party enjoys.