The Speaker of the Kosovo Assembly, Albulena Haxhiu, said at the solemn session of the Assembly for the 18th anniversary of Kosovo’s independence that any attempt to separate the Kosovo Liberation Army’s war from its historical and political context risks distorting the truth of the Kosovar people.

Haxhiu stated that the people of Kosovo perceive the Specialist Court and its trial as unjust, as, according to her, it ignores the circumstances in which the liberation war took place.

She said that this day is elevated by what stands at the foundation of the Republic—the KLA and its just war for liberation.

“This important day is elevated by what stands at the foundation of the Republic, what emerged from the people—the KLA and its just war for liberation. The KLA war was a fight for dignity and freedom… Any attempt to separate this war from its historical and political context risks distorting the truth of that time. We remember these truths because the people of Kosovo see the Specialist Court and this trial as unjust, primarily because it ignores the very circumstances in which our liberation war was fought. Our war was not aggression but resistance against occupation and oppression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing,” said Haxhiu.

Furthermore, Haxhiu added that three lines of Kosovo’s victorious liberation history—the legendary commander Adem Jashari, President Ibrahim Rugova, and Adem Demaci—rose on the glory of centuries-long resistance to occupation.

We feel proud of the heroism of the family of legendary commander Adem Jashari and all the Jasharis, who became symbols of our strong resistance against occupation. The wisdom of President Rugova, who guided Kosovo toward international support. We recognize the unbreakable resistance of Adem Demaci, who remains an example of our people’s sacrifice on their path to freedom and dignity. These three lines of our victorious liberation history rose on the glory of centuries-long resistance to occupation,” she added.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Albulena Haxhiu, said that Kosovo’s institutions will protect historical truth and the dignity of the war for freedom, as well as the fundamental principles of liberty, by combating any attempt to distort it.