TIRANA, April 2 – Thousands rallied in Kosovo’s capital Pristina on Sunday protesting the upcoming trial against former president Hashim Thaci a day before he appears in an international war crimes court in The Hague.
Thaci — a former leader in the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) — resigned from the presidency in late 2020 after he was indicted by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) court.
Along with three other defendants, Thaci stands accused of an array of crimes including murder, torture and persecution during the 1998-1999 independence war with Serbia.
The European Union-funded KSC is charged with investigating war crimes allegedly committed by former KLA guerrillas during the bloody insurgency between ethnic Albanian fighters and Serb forces.
Ahead of the trial, thousands flocked to the “March for Justice” in support of Thaci, where demonstrators waved KLA flags and held signs that read: “Justice not politics” and “Our history cannot be rewritten”.
The rally was organised by the opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), which was founded by Thaci and other guerilla leaders after the war.
“We are with them forever …. and have no doubt that they will return as victors as they once came as liberators because they are living heroes,” PDK leader Memli Krasniqi told the crowd.
Flaka Fazlia, the daughter of the martyr, Fatmir Fazlia, said that the Kosovo Liberation Army is a liberation organization and the world should not allow itself to punish innocent people in the name of justice.
“The KLA has not committed crimes and is not in any way a criminal organization, but a liberation organization,” she said.
The symbol of the women of Krusha and all strong Albanian women, Fahrije Hoti expressed her indignation that today the liberators of the country are appearing before the court, and not those who committed crimes in Kosovo.
“I am with you today to demand justice for the freedom fighters. I am with you today to seek justice for the future. My family and Krusha are still seeking justice even 24 years after the war. My husband is also still missing. Instead of criminals, today, unfortunately, the liberators of our country are appearing before the court,” said Fahrije Hoti.
The KSC is largely despised by Kosovar Albanians, who believe the court is tarnishing the legacy of the veterans that fought for Kosovo’s independence at great cost. /Argumentum.al
