Former political representative of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK), Bardhyl Mahmuti, has issued a statement after his name was referenced during James Rubin’s testimony at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.
Mahmuti clarified:
“During the morning session on 16 September 2025, in the testimony of defense witness Mr. James Rubin, the prosecutor presented a cable in which it was alleged that Hashim Thaçi had introduced Adem Demaçi as the spokesperson of the Kosovo Liberation Army, and in this context, my name was mentioned as supposedly confirming such a claim.”
In his full reaction, Mahmuti stressed that in all his statements, he rejected any claims suggesting that Mr. Demaçi served as a “spokesperson” or “political representative” of the UÇK.
“I find it important to clarify publicly that I never confirmed such a falsehood. On the contrary, in my statements I dismissed claims portraying Mr. Demaçi as a spokesperson or political representative. It is a fact that he established the Office of the General Political Representative of the UÇK in Pristina, but Mr. Adem Demaçi was far more than a ‘spokesperson’ or ‘political representative’ of the UÇK.”
Mahmuti cited his previous statement to Zëri i Kosovës on 10 September 1998, also published in Bota e Re in Pristina:
ZiK: According to UÇK political statement no. 7, Adem Demaçi was mandated to establish institutions in Kosovo. Yet the press presents him as a political representative of the UÇK. What is the truth?
Bardhyl Mahmuti: To facilitate communication with national political forces and key international actors, the UÇK appointed six political representatives. The deliberate misinterpretation of Adem Demaçi’s role as a “political representative” aims to limit his entrusted competencies and obstruct the establishment of these institutions. Demaçi was not the number one person of the UÇK, but the foremost figure of national resistance. His role was analogous, in certain aspects, to that of a head of state under normal circumstances. Therefore, all political and social forces in Kosovo, as well as individuals with influence and professional capacity interested in unblocking the situation, should approach Adem Demaçi and immediately begin the necessary work.
Mahmuti concluded that James Rubin’s statements accurately reflect Demaçi’s role during the war and his decisive impact within the Kosovo Liberation Army.
