Someone dressed in the uniform of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), others wearing T-shirts with the inscription “Freedom has a Name,” and accompanied by patriotic music, all had the same goal: heading to Tirana to demand justice for Thaçi, Veseli, Krasniqi, and Selimi.
The ideal of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) brought together many citizens again this morning in the center of Prishtina. Numerous comrades and citizens from Kosovo set off for Tirana to take part in a grand protest in support of the former KLA leaders currently on trial in The Hague.
Four buses departed from central Prishtina to the Albanian capital with citizens calling for justice for the former KLA leaders. For this protest, several other buses also departed from the village of Trudë near Prishtina.
Today, Skanderbeg Square in Tirana will resonate with calls for justice for the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, who are being held in pre-trial detention in The Hague.
The Secretary of the Prishtina branch of the KLA Veterans Association (OVL-KLA), Vehbi Hajzeri, told KosovaPress that citizen interest in traveling to Tirana is very high.
“There are many interested, possibilities are limited, and a large number have gone by car. Through the organization, with thanks to Përparim Rama and these buses, we are making it somewhat possible, but we see that we cannot realize all possibilities… Three buses are here, and two departed from Trudë. We need to open the eyes of this nation and the world that these people are being held unjustly, while the real criminals are known. These liberators are the ones who laid the foundation of this state,” he emphasized.
A citizen from Prishtina, Asllan Bajrami, wearing a T-shirt marked “KLA,” told KosovaPress that the protest aims to convey the message that the KLA members in The Hague are being held unjustly.
“This day reminds us of the most precious values of the Kosovo Liberation Army, which symbolizes the efforts of generations for Kosovo’s independence. Naturally, our protest aims to convey the message that the liberators being held in The Hague are detained unjustly. We believe this court has deviated from the charges, which initially were claimed to be fair. This court should be closed as soon as possible and declared null regarding legal consequences. We want to send the message that the leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army are being held unjustly—not that we are against justice, but against the injustice carried out in the name of justice,” he stressed.
This morning, Ismail Rukiqi also departed from Drenas to Tirana, saying that the protest sends a message against the injustice toward former KLA leaders.
“For the injustice being done to our leaders, we are going peacefully to protest in the best possible way in Tirana. I am a KLA military veteran since the beginning,” he said.
Mehmet Bllaca from Prishtina called for as many citizens as possible to join the protest.
“They have taken our president, the parliament speaker, the most sacred people who are completely innocent, and we stand with our hands in our pockets. I don’t know how this injustice will end… All citizens, young and old, especially the youth, should join,” he said.
Rrahman Ramadani, a comrade of Brigade 153, wearing a KLA uniform and calling for justice, told KosovaPress that the KLA has not committed any crimes.
“Emotions are high because our liberators are being held unjustly, and all Albanians and the whole world know that the KLA has not committed crimes nor is it criminal. The criminals are Serbia and its collaborators. This will be a huge turnout, and Albanians are mobilized as always,” Ramadani said.
Ajshe Gashi also took the road to Tirana to join the protest, saying it sends a signal for the release of former KLA leaders.
“I find it very important because these people do not deserve to suffer this punishment. I believe this protest will raise the alarm for their release and that they will be recognized as innocent,” she said.
Various Albanian politicians from Kosovo and Albania have expressed support for the protest. Over 60 buses with citizens are expected to depart from Kosovo to join the protest in Tirana.
Authorities in Albania announced yesterday that the “Rruga e Kombit” highway will be free of charge on October 17 for all citizens as a sign of solidarity with the protest.
It is worth noting that protests in support of former KLA leaders were also organized in Prishtina and The Hague on September 14.
