Halil Geci: Attacks on Albin Kurti Show Who Is Behind the Propaganda, Just as They Once Did Against Rugova

Halil Geci has reacted strongly to the criticism and accusations directed at caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti, describing them as an organized political and media campaign.

According to Geci, today’s situation resembles the attacks once directed at historic President Ibrahim Rugova. He claims that the same circles that once branded Rugova a spy and traitor are behind the discourse against Kurti, reports “Bota sot.”

Geci also spoke about Russian and Serbian influence, as well as the involvement of certain Albanian political circles. He called for any suspicions of harm to state interests to be investigated and the facts to be made public.

The full statement

THE ATTACKS ON KURTI EXPOSED THE SAME STRUCTURE THAT ONCE TARGETED RUGOVA

Those who years ago called Ibrahim Rugova a spy and traitor are now trying to portray Albin Kurti as a “spy for Iran, Russia or Serbia.” However, the passage of time is revealing ever more clearly the people and interests that, according to this belief, lie behind this propaganda.

To understand who Albin Kurti is, it was enough to carefully observe the sources from which the attacks against him came.

The criticism of Kurti has come from the Russian ambassador to the Security Council, from Serbia, from people linked to various political and security structures, from certain voices in Tirana, from circles that support Russian and Serbian narratives, and from some commentators who for years have pursued an uninterrupted line against him.

When you analyze the authors of the attacks and their motives, you can often understand for yourself where the problem lies, even without needing much evidence.

This is not a scheme that has appeared for the first time.

At its core, it is the same spirit that was once directed against Ibrahim Rugova. The same circles and people called him a spy, a traitor and an obstacle to Kosovo. There were also assassination attempts against him, while LDK associates and patriots were killed.

Today, this spirit appears through different language, labeling Albin Kurti a “spy for Iran,” “Russia” or “Serbia.”

But history shows that, over the years, the masks eventually fall.

As brothers, we recognized this reality a long time ago. For this reason, we shut the door on people we considered suspicious and dangerous to the national interest. Not everyone believed us. In fact, for a time, even Rifati of the Jasharaj family did not believe us. But after he understood what was happening, he too removed them, shut the door on them and made it clear that he did not want to see them there again.

For this position, my gratitude goes first and foremost to the graves of our ancestors. From them we learned that the homeland is not defended only in favorable circumstances, but especially when that defense requires sacrifices.

We chose the side we considered right many years before many others understood the same thing.

This position did not come without a cost.

Our comrades and friends have been killed, while our brothers have been wounded. We paid a high price for our convictions. Nevertheless, today we feel proud that we stood shoulder to shoulder with what we saw as right—with Kosovo and with our historic allies—America, England and Germany.

Our belief has been that, just as we defended the country during the war, we must defend it in times of peace and freedom as well.

For this reason, Albin Kurti and Donika Gërvalla, I congratulate you on your steadfastness in the face of a powerful political and media propaganda campaign which, in my view, consists of an intertwining of Slavic, Russian and Serbian interests with those of certain Albanian political circles.

When serious accusations have been raised against Kosovo’s institutions and suspicions of betrayal of the state interest have emerged within them, the task has been and remains to cleanse the institutions and bring the facts to light.

If there are people who have sold out Kosovo’s interests, they should be declassified and brought before justice. This should not be done out of political revenge, but to protect the state.

More than ever, citizens today need facts rather than labels, transparency rather than propaganda, and strong institutions rather than structures that operate in secret.

Therefore, Albin Kurti and Donika Gërvalla, remain steadfast in the face of pressure and do not submit to propaganda.

In the end, the truth is not determined by the noise of television studios, but by history and facts.

I will continue to support every position that protects Kosovo, its sovereignty and its strategic alliances.

Even if one day I have to express this with crutches in hand, like an old man holding his head high, my message will remain the same:

Kosovo stands above the interests of individuals. The homeland is more important than power. And the truth, sooner or later, brings down all masks.