KURTI'S LAWMAKERS CLAIM THAT THERE IS "NO SERBIAN PEOPLE" IN KOSOVO

BELGRADE, SEPTEMBER 9 /SRNA/ - Lawmakers from Albin Kurti's Self-Determination Movement claim that there is "no Serbian people" in Kosovo and Metohija and that a "Serbian community" lives there.

Kurti's lawmakers Agim Bahtiri and Arjeta Fejza have asked the Constitutional Court to respond to a statement by Srpska Lista lawmaker Igor Simić that, on behalf of the Serbian people, he would nominate Slavko Simić for deputy speaker of the parliament in Priština, Kosovo Online reports.

Fejza said that the so-called parliament is an "institution of the Republic of Kosovo and represents the people of Kosovo" and called on the prosecution to address Simić's statement because she believes it calls into question the constitutional order of the self-proclaimed republic.

Her party colleague and lawmaker Donika Gervalla called Simić's proposal "scandalous and unacceptable," claiming that "there is no Serbian people in Kosovo, only a Serbian community," and that "the Serbian people hold their elections in Serbia on October 25".

Simić's statement was also deemed unacceptable by the newly elected parliament speaker and acting president of self-proclaimed Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, who is also a member of Kurti's movement.

She demanded that Simić withdraw his statement, but he told her that he was a member of the Serbian people and that she would not take that right away from him.

Haxhiu then took the floor away from Simić and subsequently adjourned the constituent session of parliament, announcing that it would resume on Friday, September 11.