Hashim Thaci picked as Kosovo president despite protests in parliament

Kosovo's parliament chose on 26 February 2016 to appoint the country's former prime minister and later foreign minister Hashim Thaci as the president.

Opposition parties showed their discontent on his role in an EU-brokered deal with neighbouring Serbia, aiming at a normalisation of the relations between the two sides. The parliamentary vote was eventually concluded despite several disturbances, including the discharging of tear gas canisters inside the parliamentary chamber and petrol bombs on the streets outside.

ESO: Background information: Thousands attend anti-government protest in Kosovo, demand snap election http://www.europeansources.info/record/thousands-attend-anti-government-protest-in-kosovo-demand-snap-election/

EurActiv, 29.02.16: Kosovo presidential vote violence ‘extremely worrying’, says EU http://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/kosovo-presidential-vote-violence-extremely-worrying-says-eu/

Balkan Insight, 26.02.16: Hashim Thaci elected President of Kosovo http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/hashim-thaci-elected-president-of-kosovo-02-26-2016

BBC News, 26.02.16: Hashim Thaci elected Kosovo's new president amid tear gas http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35674917

Euronews, 26.02.16: Kosovo violence as Hashim Thaci is elected president http://www.euronews.com/2016/02/26/kosovo-violence-as-hashim-thaci-is-elected-president/

Politico, 17.03.16: EU cars attacked in Kosovo http://www.politico.eu/article/cars-attacked-in-kosovo-balkans-protests-autonomy-minority-serbs-petrol-bombs/

Wikipedia: Kosovan presidential election, 2016 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovan_presidential_election,_2016

Robert Schuman Foundation: European Elections Monitor: Kosovo http://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/the-european-elections-monitor/47-kosovo

IFES: Election Guide: Kosovo http://www.electionguide.org/elections/?inst=&cont=Kosovo&yr=

EU: EEAS: Statement, 27.02.16: Statement by the Spokesperson on the events around the election of President of Kosovo http://eeas.europa.eu/statements-eeas/2016/160227_01_en.htm

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 29.03.16: Petrit Selimi: 'The sight of our athletes marching in Rio de Janeiro will be the pinnacle of state-building for Kosovo' http://bit.ly/1Ro304J

Politico, 03.05.16: In Kosovo, if debating doesn’t work throw tear gas http://www.politico.eu/article/albin-kurti-kosovo-if-debating-doesnt-work-throw-tear-gas/

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