Nasim Haradinaj, former deputy chairman of the KLA War Veterans’ Organization (OVL-UÇK), has criticized the organizers of protests held in September and October, during which protesters pressed for the adoption of the draft law on the Specialist Chambers. He also criticized the PDK over the way a proposal to amend the law was withdrawn.
Speaking to lajmi.net, Haradinaj said the gatherings initially brought together citizens and representatives of different parties but were later used to advance political interests. In his view, some of those who sought to lead the protests were thinking more about votes and elections than about securing the release of the former KLA leaders.
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He said the protests could not continue if they became routine while their true aims remained hidden. Haradinaj said the motives of those seeking prominence for electoral gain had been exposed and that they must now face the consequences.
Regarding the withdrawal of the proposal concerning the Law on the Specialist Chambers, Haradinaj claimed it was part of a maneuver within the PDK tied to political points and the upcoming elections. In his view, Përparim Gruda had been sacrificed politically, while Uran Ismaili was behind the initiative because of interests Haradinaj attributed to him in the upcoming race.
Haradinaj called those involved in these actions “neo-Marxists” and said their behavior brought shame even on religion. He recalled that during the protests he had opposed profiting from others’ misfortune. In his view, the plight of the six former KLA leaders was a national tragedy, not a personal misfortune, and should not be used for political or individual gain.
His criticism also extended to representatives of organizations that emerged from the war. Haradinaj said some were trying to distance themselves from recent developments and demand accountability within the PDK, although, in his view, they themselves had also contributed to damaging the cause. He objected to anyone presenting themselves as a PDK representative when it suited them and, at another time, solely as a representative of the War Veterans’ Organization.
According to Haradinaj, the protests drew people from across the country and did not belong to any one party. Their message, “Not in my name,” expressed disagreement with the decision, but it should not have been turned into a means of gaining an advantage in elections or within parties. He said he had seen participants from all political groups at the protests, although some had also brought their own supporters.
Haradinaj said these individuals’ electoral ambitions had not paid off. In his view, if elections were held, they would suffer even heavier losses; an individual might gain within their own party, but the country would lose. He reiterated that support for the former KLA leaders in The Hague must remain a national issue and that their fate should not be used to build a political career.
On the first day of the protests, Haradinaj stood outside the Kosovo government building and demanded answers and concrete action from the prime minister and lawmakers of all parties following the Specialist Chambers’ decision. He was the only one who urged protesters not to damage property and to make the reason for their protest clear. Haradinaj had also expressed dissatisfaction with what he said was an attempt to prevent him from speaking during the selection of speakers.
