The Bunjaku family on this anniversary expresses pain and revolt over The Hague decision, calls for national unity

September 24 has a deep significance for the family of martyr Afrim Bunjaku, who remembers with pride and great sorrow the police officer who lost his life in the line of duty defending the country.

However, this year the anniversary is accompanied by a different sensibility, as the relatives had hoped that on this symbolic day, the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, who were recently punished by the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, would be beside them.

For them, the pride in Afrim’s sacrifice remains high, but the pain of loss has now been joined by a deep feeling of injustice, which they directly link to the latest verdict of this court.

Arton Bunjaku, nephew of the martyr, explained that each year this date is experienced with conflicting emotions.

“As a family, every time on this anniversary we feel pain, but also pride, because Afrim did not give his life only for himself, but for Kosovo, he gave the most precious thing. But this year the emotions are more mixed, because we expected our liberators to be among us,” he said.

Bunjaku described the judicial process in The Hague as unfair and added his belief that the KLA leaders will be declared innocent and will soon return to their homeland.

“We just accompanied three sons of the war leaders, heroes of Kosovo. We were so proud, but at the same time we feel pain, because justice is not being served and their sacrifice is being denied. As a people we have always been oppressed, and this was clearly seen in the last trial in The Hague. It is an unfair trial and we hope that very soon they will be freed and return to their birthplace. They are liberators, living heroes. I call on the international community to take steps and free them as soon as possible, while aggressors who move freely in Serbia should be brought to justice and punished as they deserve. I also call on all embassies to closely monitor the situation in Kosovo, because the KLA is not just an organization – the KLA is the entire people. We are all the KLA,” he declared.

He stressed that the sacrifice of those who gave their lives for Kosovo’s freedom must not be forgotten, and he called on citizens to remain united.

“The freedom of Kosovo and the effort of our sons and daughters, who gave everything for it, cannot be devalued. Therefore I invite all Albanians to be united and to send a clear message to the international factor, that we be equal and our rights not be denied,” Bunjaku emphasized.

Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was killed on September 24, 2023, in Banjska in Zvečan, after a Serbian terrorist attack led by Milan Radoičić, which targeted the Kosovo Police.