In an article published on September 17, the Russian outlet Sputnik’s Serbian-language edition claimed that “riots” had taken place in Tirana because of the verdict against former KLA leaders.
The article was titled “Riots in Tirana over the verdict against the leaders of the so-called KLA: Albania stood by Pristina.”
It claimed that members of the Albanian Parliament had adopted a declaration regarding the verdict issued by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi.
The article further claimed that clashes between police and protesters had occurred “near the parliament,” with protesters allegedly gathering to demonstrate “against the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama and against the decision of the Special Court in The Hague” concerning the former KLA leaders.
The same article was later republished by the Serbian-language outlet Vaseljenska.net.
What Is Wrong with the Claim?
Following online research, Hibrid.info established that media reports in Albania show that the September 17 protest in Tirana was part of a series of anti-government demonstrations that had begun around 110 days earlier, with the protesters’ main demand being the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Reports from Albanian Media
The online outlet Reporter.al reported that hundreds of citizens gathered near Parliament and the Ministry of Interior, calling for Rama to step down. According to the report, protesters threw eggs and toilet paper at police, while tensions escalated when some attempted to break through the police cordon and metal barriers. Clashes subsequently occurred when some protesters moved toward the Prime Minister’s Office.
BalkanWeb also reported that protesters gathered in front of Parliament were chanting against the political establishment and demanding the resignation of Edi Rama.
A report by Shqiptarja.com likewise described the September 17 protest as beginning in front of Parliament before moving to other areas of Tirana. According to the outlet, the first tensions with police began when protesters attempted to cross the police cordon near the Ministry of Interior, after which eggs and water bottles were thrown at officers.
Therefore, reports by Albanian media link the clashes with police on September 17 to the anti-government protest and protesters’ attempts to cross police barriers. These reports do not provide evidence that the clashes were caused by opposition to the Hague verdict.
What About the Verdict Against the Former KLA Leaders?
It is true that on September 17, the Albanian Parliament adopted a declaration concerning the verdict against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi. In the declaration, Parliament expressed disagreement with the decision and stated that it would coordinate its actions with Kosovo’s institutions.
BalkanWeb also reported that Parliament Speaker Niko Peleshi read the declaration in support of the KLA and its former members.
However, this was a separate event from the anti-government protest outside Parliament. Reports on the September 17 demonstration indicate that it had been announced as a protest against the political establishment, with protesters demanding Rama’s resignation.
Meanwhile, on September 16, the day the verdict against the former KLA leaders was announced, a citizens’ protest in Tirana also expressed solidarity with them. Euronews Albania reported that the 109th protest coincided with the announcement of the verdict in The Hague and that protesters chanted “KLA, KLA” while marching toward the Prime Minister’s Office.
The facts show that clashes between protesters and police took place in Tirana on September 17, but these clashes occurred during an anti-government protest that had been ongoing for around 110 days. Therefore, reports from Albanian media do not support the Russian outlet’s claim that the clashes with police were caused by the verdict against the former KLA leaders.
Analysis
The claim about “riots in Tirana” was published by Sputnik in Serbian, presenting the clashes between protesters and police as being linked, among other things, to the verdict against the former KLA leaders.
However, reports by Albanian media provide a different context for the September 17 protest. Protesters were demanding the resignation of Edi Rama and demonstrating against the government, while clashes with police began during attempts to cross the police cordon.
Meanwhile, the verdict against the former KLA leaders and the declaration by the Albanian Parliament were developments that occurred during the same period, but Albanian media did not present the verdict as the cause of the clashes with police.
Based on its methodology, Hibrid.info classified Sputnik’s article as “Disinformation.”
Rationale
According to Hibrid.info, content is classified as “Disinformation” when it contains a “mix” of inaccurate sources or partially true claims and is created and/or disseminated with the deliberate intention of causing harm. Behind the motives of producers and distributors of disinformation is the pursuit of a political, financial, psychological, or social objective.
