Maraj opposes protests: Street pressure does not influence The Hague’s decision, recalls 2004 unrest

Calls for protests, warnings of escalation and statements that Kosovo could face consequences if the Specialist Court in The Hague finds former KLA leaders guilty have reopened the debate over how to respond to these proceedings.

Shortly before the verdict for former President Hashim Thaçi, former parliamentary speakers Kadri Veseli and Jakup Krasniqi, and former MP Rexhep Selimi, civic gatherings are being announced in Kosovo. At the same time, some members of the public are calling for every response to be measured and not seen as an attempt to influence justice.

Political analyst Milazim Maraj has publicly opposed protests and statements presented as the “defense” of former KLA members. According to him, court decisions cannot be changed through pressure exerted from the streets.

He has brought the unrest of March 2004 back into focus, asking whether Kosovo risks experiencing such a situation again. Maraj stressed that the consequences of the violence at that time were serious for the country.

“Stop with this ‘defense’! Will 2004 happen again? Meaningless unrest. Unrest that led funds earmarked for Kosovo to be spent repairing the homes of criminals, even if a pig pen is burned by ‘patriotic’ protesters. What did we gain from those protests? We lost another eight Albanians. We lost the reputation we had among the international community. We also lost the recognition that we had fought to protect our families and our land. Within a week, you turned the criminals into victims and the victims into criminals. Kosovo was pushed back ten years by your ‘patriotism’,” Maraj declared.

Maraj particularly criticized statements about arming the population and warnings about destabilizing Kosovo. He called on the initiators of such a mobilization to clearly explain what its purpose would be.

“Now you are trying to put pressure on the court in The Hague. Have you thought about what can be achieved with this pressure? It is one thing to express dissatisfaction, but your threats that you will set Kosovo on fire, that you need to arm the people, that Kosovo’s independence is over—who do they serve? Kosovo has its own armed forces, police, KFOR and the KSF. What weapons are you asking for now? What will you attack? What will you defend? What is your objective?” he said.

The analyst also raised the question of who would benefit from possible destabilization, mentioning Serbia and Russia as parties that could exploit such a situation.

“But if you are setting Kosovo on fire, will Serbia or Russia be very upset? With these protests, you have shown the world that there is not the slightest chance of crimes being punished in Kosovo. After the testimony of witnesses from the United States, who were exonerating the accused—even saying that Hashim Thaçi had not been in the war at all—you are proving the opposite at the protests: ‘Freedom has a name,’ ‘Free the Liberators,’ ‘We will set Kosovo on fire if they are convicted,’ ‘History will not be rewritten.’”

According to Maraj, the language used during the protests could produce a result contrary to the stated objective. Instead of conveying the message that Kosovo supports justice, the rule of law and the fair treatment of the accused, the threats could strengthen the arguments of those who have called for these cases to be handled by international mechanisms.

He recalled that Kosovo has financed the legal defense of former KLA leaders, describing this as the proper way to support them.

“Kosovo has paid for the defense of the accused. That was genuine assistance, whereas what you are doing is the opposite. Court decisions cannot be influenced from the streets. On the contrary, you have made things even worse. You justified the claim that it was necessary for this court to operate in The Hague,” Maraj declared.

Another concern he raised concerns the ability to control crowds during protests. Maraj called on the organizers to assume responsibility for any consequences that might arise.

“Is it possible to lead people in the streets? Can the OVL-KLA control the crowd, and who can become involved in this crowd? Who will answer for the consequences? As for positive effects, there is no question of any,” he said.

In conclusion, the analyst called on the organizers and supporters of the former KLA leaders not to try to defend them through pressure in the streets, but to use institutional and legal channels.

“Stop with this defense, stop with this support. Responses must be made through legal institutions. Pressure from the streets has no effect whatsoever,” Maraj concluded.