Kosovo’s war veterans’ organizations announced a mass protest to be held today at 17:00 in Pristina, opposing what they describe as ongoing injustices committed by the Specialist Chambers in The Hague against former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
In a press conference held Wednesday, the veteran groups called on citizens to join the protest, arguing that the Special Court is unfairly relying on documents and dossiers provided by Serbian institutions during the trials.
The protest has received support from Kosovo’s three largest opposition parties: the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK).
However, the ruling Vetëvendosje Movement (VV) has responded critically to the demonstration. Party spokesperson Arlind Manxhuka, in a Facebook post, laid out six points of criticism, focusing primarily on the timing and political motives behind the protest.
“This protest is ten years too late. The opposition should have stood up in the summer of 2015 when the Special Court was being established by the then-government,” Manxhuka wrote.
He emphasized that the legacy of the KLA and Kosovo’s war of liberation cannot be rewritten, nor can the history of how the Special Court was created.
Manxhuka argued that Kosovo needs domestic judicial reform, including a new chief prosecutor and courts born out of a vetting process, rather than “non-transparent special courts that fall outside international standards.”
He also pointed out that under the Kurti government, over €33 million have already been paid to cover the legal defense and other costs for those accused in The Hague.
Referring to former President Hashim Thaçi’s recent interview from detention, Manxhuka noted:
“In his latest interview, Thaçi was surprisingly soft toward the Special Court. Protests cannot replace or compensate for his lack of a firm stance.”
In closing, Manxhuka said that unfortunately, five years into the detentions of former KLA leaders, the main opposition party has used their situation more as a political weapon against the Kurti government than in genuine efforts to secure their release.
