TIRANA – Kosovo’s incumbent Prime Minister Albin Kurti has condemned a death threat he said he had received from a phantom organization called the “Albanian Volunteers’ Guard”, as the country edges close to the Constitutional Court ruling on his request to annul President Hashim Thaci’s decree mandating Avdullah Hoti to form a new government.
Kurti, who wants fresh legislative elections following his government’s ousting in a no-confidence vote on March 25, published a statement from the organization, which demanded that he and his Vetevendosje (Self-determination) party abandon any plans for protests if the upcoming Constitutional Court verdict does not suit them.
“Kurti and the whole Vetevendosje leadership who are helping to organise this protest have reason for concern about their and their families’ safety from the Guard,” the statement allegedly read as quoted by BIRN on Wednesday. “We will act if needed,” it added.
President Thaci opposes fresh elections and wants Hoti, from the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, to form a new coalition government from the existing parliament.
Kurti blamed political rivals from “the old regime” for the threatening statement, which he called a threat to the Constitutional Court as well. “They want to intimidate the Constitutional Court and not only that,” Kurti said, adding that the letter also aimed to intimidate foreign diplomats. “We are carefully following developments while awaiting the Constitutional Court ruling,” he added.
Political polemics in Kosovo have become increasingly heated in recent days as the interim measure imposed by the Constitutional Court on Thaci’s decree concerning the new Prime Minister expires on May 29./argumentum.com
