Citizens on the amendments to the Law on the Special Court: Convinced they will also be approved in the second reading

Protests continued today in Pristina’s squares over the vote on the Draft Law amending the Law on the Specialist Chambers, as KosovaPress reports.

The draft law was approved in the first reading with 91 votes in favour, with no votes against and no abstentions. The MPs of the Democratic League of Kosovo did not take part in the vote.

Hundreds of citizens had gathered in front of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, in protest, demanding the approval of the amendments to the Law on the Special Court.

War veteran Rrahman Ramadani said that this draft law should also be voted in the second reading, while he made no comment regarding the absence of LDK MPs from the session.

“The LDK has its own position; we do not comment on them. It should have been voted by all Albanian parties, but now they know their own affairs better themselves,” Ramadani said.

As for the second reading, he said he has no doubts that the law will be voted again.

“I believe it will be voted. I do not doubt that it will not be voted in the second reading,” he concluded.

Citizen Raip Neziri, meanwhile, said he sees this as a very good step, albeit late.

“I see it as a good step for a start, but we are waiting, we still have a little time, to see how the procedure goes further,” Neziri said.

He said this is an obligation of the MPs toward Kosovo’s citizens, an obligation that must be taken responsibly.

“We will see later how the procedure goes. It must absolutely be completed; the MPs must fulfil their obligation toward the law and toward the citizens. The citizens are demanding it, they must vote,” Neziri said.

When asked what happens if it is not voted in the second reading, he said the citizens are there and will continue protesting.

“We will protest peacefully, not violently… We have no other home, this is our home. We all have it together here, whatever is done, good or bad, we have it together,” he concluded.

It is still not clear whether the draft law will proceed to a second reading during today, while the protests by OVL-UÇK (the KLA War Veterans Organisation) continue in front of the Assembly.