March for Freedom takes place today in Pristina’s Skanderbeg Square

A March for Freedom is being held today in Pristina’s Skanderbeg Square, organized in support of Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, just days before the Special Court announces its verdict on the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

The organizers of the initiative, called “Freedom Has a Name,” have called on citizens to turn out in large numbers in the square to support them.

At the gathering, attendees will be addressed by the chairman of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Bedri Hamza, and the chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Ardian Gjini.

Representatives of the “Freedom Has a Name” platform have also invited the political spectrum to join the march.

Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti did not answer journalists’ question on Wednesday as to whether or not he would attend the gathering.

Eliza Hoxha and Ismail Tasholli, representatives of the civic platform “Freedom Has a Name,” had invited the leaders of the four Albanian parliamentary parties to speak during the march, but announced that only Bedri Hamza of the PDK and Ardian Gjini of the AAK had responded positively to the invitation.

A day earlier, Hoxha also presented the march’s program and list of speakers.

“On behalf of the ‘Freedom Has a Name’ platform, the two of us will speak together and, in fact, open the formal part of the March. Hysni Gucati will speak on behalf of the war veterans’ associations. Liriona Sulejmani will speak on behalf of the children of martyrs, as the daughter of martyr Bajram Sulejmani, bringing the voice and message of a generation that inherits the memory and sacrifice of the war within its families as well. Citizens will also be addressed by Ardian Gjini and Bedri Hamza, as well as Buna Mustafa, the daughter of Salih Mustafa-Cali. The program will also include songs, which will be part of the message of this gathering—patriotic songs, naturally, which have inspired us and always reminded us of our commitment to freedom,” Hoxha said.

She added that the “Freedom Has a Name” platform had arranged bus transportation from all cities in Kosovo.

“Come with your families, come with your children, come with your parents and your friends, come all together to the March on September 12 at 2:00 p.m. in Skanderbeg Square, to march for our liberators,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ismail Tasholli invited citizens to take part in the march, stressing that the organizers’ message from Pristina to The Hague remains unchanged: to stand united and by one another at moments that, according to him, are of particular importance.

“Therefore, today I want to extend an invitation to all citizens. Join us on September 12 at 2:00 p.m. in Skanderbeg Square in Pristina. Do not come alone; come with your families, bring your children, parents, brothers, sisters and friends, just as Eliza came. Let this March be a civic, family-oriented, peaceful and dignified March. Let there be as many of us as possible; let us be together. September 12, 2:00 p.m., Skanderbeg Square. And on September 15, from 10:00 p.m., we will meet again in The Hague, on the night of the vigil, to remain together until the start of the trial session,” he said.

Many public figures have also expressed their support for the march.