Kosovo Activists to Continue ‘Rehearsing’ Protests Despite Movement Restrictions

Supporters of the ruling Vetevendosje party and its leader Albin Kurti have vowed to stage more "rehearsals" for protests despite the continued limits on public gatherings in the COVID-19 outbreak.

They staged the first such "rehearsal for a protest" on Tuesday evening, when some 500 people formed an almost perfect square in the centre of Pristina and kept a distance from each other to comply with the restrictions.

The object of the planned protests is continued moves to form a new government in Kosovo without holding fresh elections, following the toppling the Vetevendosje-led government under Prime Minister Kurti in a no-confidence vote in March.

One of the organisers, a former MP candidate member for Vetevendosje, Valdrin Ahmeti, gave details about the organisation of other "rehearsals for protests" on Facebook, predicting another rehearsal with up to 1,500 people in the coming days.

"Protest is an essential right in a democratic society, and its progress in terms of organisation must sometimes be guaranteed by us citizens," Ahmeti wrote, explaining that the initiative came in response to "demands and concerns of citizens that protests may be lacking in political developments in the country, due to the restrictions of the pandemic".

He called for "distance, discipline and care" at such events.

This is not the first time Kosovars have prepared for protests during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is the first public rehearsal for the protest.

After the overthrow of Kurti's government on March 25 a rally against the move to form a new government without elections was due to take place in early May but was cancelled.

Kosovo citizens have also protested against political developments from their balconies during the curfew...