The President of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, Ekaterina Trendafilova, is in Kosovo today for a high-profile press conference following the start of her official visit to the country on Monday.
Her arrival, however, has sparked immediate outrage from the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) War Veterans Organization (OVL-UÇK), which has condemned the visit as a “deliberate provocation” and a “deep insult to the legacy of the KLA’s liberation war.”
KLA Veterans Respond: “This Is a Historical Offense”
In a strongly worded statement, OVL-UÇK declared that Trendafilova’s presence in Kosovo on May 13 is “a calculated affront”, particularly given the symbolic weight of this date in Albanian history.
“May 13 is a black day in our history – the founding of the UDB, one of the cruelest persecutors of Albanians, and the day of the heroic fall of Tahir and Nebih Meha in Prekaz. To visit on this date, with a one-sided agenda and no historical sensitivity, is an offense to every fighter and every Martyr’s family.”
The veterans emphasized that the Specialist Chambers represent an institutionalized injustice, accusing the court of being politically biased and selectively targeting the KLA, while ignoring war crimes committed by Serbian forces during the Kosovo war.
A Call for Justice and Fair Process
The statement also condemned the extended pretrial detention of KLA leaders, highlighting what it calls:
- Unequal legal treatment
- Severe obstacles in the defense process
- A premeditated effort to secure convictions before due legal process is complete
“The Specialist Court does not bring justice, it delivers political revenge,” OVL-UÇK asserted.
Trendafilova’s Controversial Presence
This is not Trendafilova’s first visit to Kosovo; her last trip occurred in October 2024, also met with public criticism. However, the timing of her current visit, on a date of historic trauma and national significance, has reignited public tensions.
Despite the criticism, Trendafilova is expected to proceed with the press conference today, amid tight security and heightened public attention.
