United States Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier condemned the physical clashes between deputies of the Democratic Party of Kosovo and members of the government during the parliamentary session on July 13.

According to him, in every democracy, there are strong differences, but “differences should be resolved through discourse” and not violence.

“Unfortunate to see what happened in Kosovo’s National Assembly today. I wish I didn’t have to say this: resorting to violence is never an acceptable means to express disagreement. In any democracy there are often strongly held differences. But differences should be resolved through discourse – a fundamental purpose of any democracy’s legislature,” Hovenier wrote on Twitter.

Unfortunate to see what happened in Kosovo’s National Assembly today. I wish I didn't have to say this: resorting to violence is never an acceptable means to express disagreement.

In any democracy there are often strongly held differences. But differences should be resolved…

— Ambassador Jeff Hovenier (@USAmbKosovo) July 13, 2023

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti was giving a speech to the deputies when Democratic Party of Kosovo MP Mërgim Lushtaku approached and threw water towards Kurti and his deputy, Besnik Bislimi.

It was followed by physical clashes between Democratic Party of Kosovo deputies and members of the Kurti Government.

Lushtaku stated that his action was political as he announced a lawsuit against Bislimi, Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu, and Minister of Finance Hekuran Murati.

Kurti was speaking about the situation in northern Kosovo when his speech was interrupted by opposition deputies shouting “liar”.

In recent days, as well as during the session on July 13, the opposition has been critical of the government after leaked recordings of the head of the Parliamentary Group of Self-Determination Movement, Mimoza Kusari-Lila emerged in media. She admitted to having a conversation with the Deputy Leader of the Serb List Milan Radoičić.

Milan Radoičić is the Deputy Leader of the Serb List, wanted by the authorities of Kosovo, and is also on the US blacklist for “involvement in international organized crime”.

He is sought by Kosovo under suspicion of witness intimidation in a judicial case known as “Brezovica”.

Radoičić is mentioned in an indictment as the “leader of a criminal group” who planned the assassination of Serb politician Oliver Ivanović. However, the arrest warrant for Milan Radoičić was withdrawn in March 2021 without any explanation.