Following the sentencing decisions by the Special Court in The Hague against former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders, Daut Haradinaj of the Alliance has reacted publicly.

In a Facebook post accompanied by photographs from the square, Haradinaj denounced what he described as propaganda aimed at demoralizing citizens who are expressing outrage over the Hague decisions.

He accused several people of hypocrisy for having previously taken part in protests over various issues in Albania but who today, according to him, express satisfaction at the Liberators being kept in a cage in The Hague.

According to Haradinaj, such a stance is intended to relativize the Kosovo Liberation Army’s war and construct a narrative that has harmed Kosovo over the years.

“Today there is no middle ground: either you rejoice at the sentence like Serbia, or you oppose it with dignity as a citizen and an Albanian,” Haradinaj wrote.

Concluding his reaction, he underlined the importance of freedom of expression, while addressing those who, according to him, serve this malicious agenda.

“Yes to freedom of expression, but a big NO to you who are serving this malicious agenda. Shame on you!” Haradinaj concluded.

The post Daut Haradinaj posts photo from the square: Either you celebrate the sentence like Serbia, or oppose it as an Albanian appeared first on Albeu.com.

Çlirim Haziri, the son of fallen fighter Xhavit Haziri, called on citizens to respond resolutely to today’s verdict in The Hague while maintaining their dignity and refraining from any attacks on the Kosovo Police or the institutions of the Republic.

Addressing citizens gathered in Pristina, Haziri said the protests would continue and that opposition to a decision he described as unjust would be expressed openly. However, he stressed that anger should not be directed against the country’s institutions.

“We will remain here, we will protest and we will not remain silent. But we will not attack the Kosovo Police, and we will not attack our institutions,” Haziri said.

He urged protesters not to wear masks or conceal their identities during the gathering.

“Take off your masks. The KLA did not wear masks. We are not wearing masks either. We do not hide. We protest openly and with dignity,” Haziri said.

According to him, citizens have the right to publicly defend what they regard as the truth about the KLA’s war, without undermining public order or Kosovo’s institutions.

Haziri appealed to citizens to show restraint toward members of the Kosovo Police, explaining that their opposition concerned the verdict, not state institutions.

“These are our institutions. They are Kosovo’s institutions, established through great sacrifice and with the blood of fallen fighters. We are here to defend the KLA, not to harm Kosovo,” Haziri said.

He announced that protests and civic activities would continue in the coming days, calling for them to be conducted peacefully and with dignity.

“We will not remain silent and we will not surrender, but we will protest in a manner befitting a people who know what they have sacrificed for their freedom,” Haziri said.

The post Haziri: Protests in support of the KLA will continue, but without attacking institutions appeared first on Albeu.com.

A large number of citizens have gathered in “Skënderbeu” square in Pristina, as they await the announcement of the verdict by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague for the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

Those present carry KLA flags and express hope and faith that today’s decision will be in favor of the former KLA leaders.

The final hearing at the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, where the first-instance judgment will be announced, begins at 10:00.

The television broadcast is given with a 10-minute delay.

The post Crowd of citizens in “Skënderbeu” square awaiting the verdict from The Hague appeared first on Albeu.com.

Deputy Mayor of Prishtina, Besianë Musmurati, announced that a large screen will be set up in “Skënderbeu” square, through which citizens will be able to follow the court hearing in The Hague live.

In an interview for Ekonomia Online, she said that the Municipality of Prishtina has organized a series of activities in support of the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, who are being held in The Hague, and expressed hope that the 16th will bring their freedom.

Musmurati announced that activities began with the “Hour of Waiting,” which first took place in Prishtina and then spread across all municipalities of Kosovo. She also mentioned a mural unveiled in the Ulpiana neighborhood, featuring portraits of four KLA soldiers, identified through the figures of the leaders held in The Hague. This mural was created by the artist Orange Girl and, according to Musmurati, was unveiled on behalf of the innocent citizens of Prishtina, while it was signed by directors of the Municipality of Prishtina and various citizens.

Additionally, she recalled the exhibition by war photojournalist Visar Kryeziu, which remains open at the Palace of Youth and invited citizens to visit it.

Regarding the main activity, Musmurati emphasized that on September 12, the march organized by “Liria ka emër” will be held, which the Municipality of Prishtina will strongly support. She invited all citizens of Prishtina to participate in this march, which will start at 14:00 in “Skënderbeu” square. She added that all preparations for this march are underway.

Musmurati informed that the Mayor of Prishtina has accepted the invitation to be present at the march, while all assembly members of political parties have also been invited, since, as she said, the war of the Kosovo Liberation Army knows no party differences.

She announced that for the court hearing, a large screen will be set up in “Skënderbeu” square, where citizens and media will be invited to follow the session live. The organization will be done in cooperation with the KLA Veterans Organization and will be open to all.

She expressed hope that after the hearing there will be reason for joint celebration, but warned that otherwise there will be no peace neither in Prishtina nor in the rest of Kosovo. “We hope for a just and proper decision in favor of our leaders who are being held there,” she said.

The post Large screen in “Skënderbeu” square to follow The Hague court session appeared first on Albeu.com.

Prishtina is preparing for September 16, the day the Special Court in The Hague is expected to announce the verdict for Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi. KLA flags and symbols have been placed in the capital’s squares and public spaces, while the Municipality of Prishtina has announced that the session will be broadcast live in an open-air setting, in “Skënderbeu” square.

As the decision date approaches, the center of Prishtina has taken on a special look. In addition to placing KLA symbols in various parts of the city, preparations have begun in the main square for activities that will take place during the verdict announcement.

On the big screen, the countdown brings citizens closer to the moment of the decision expected to be handed down in the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague. In Prishtina and in the courtroom in The Hague, the anticipation is tied to the verdict for the four former KLA leaders, while in the capital, preparations are also being made for their possible return.

Deputy Mayor of Prishtina, Besiana Musmurati, stated that the session will be watched together with citizens and organizations that emerged from the war.

“We will organize it with a very large screen where we will invite all citizens to watch the session together with organizations that emerged from the war, and together we hope to celebrate after the decision on the 16th,” said Musmurati.

The decision is also being awaited with concern at the KLA War Veterans Organization. Its representatives demand that the trial be based on evidence and facts, without political influence.

Deputy head of OVL-KLA, Gazmend Syla, said that the organization has considered the Special Court unjust since its establishment and that, according to him, it has strayed from its initial mission.

“As OVL-KLA, to tell you the truth, we are anxiously awaiting these days until the 16th. We have said throughout that this court is unjust, ever since it was established, and then we saw that this court has deviated from the mission for which it was founded. You know that this court was established based on the Dick Marty report, and then this report is no longer mentioned at all since the judicial process began. We freely say that if this court will refer to the basis of evidence and facts, we are convinced that our fellow fighters will be in their homes on September 16,” Syla said.

The wait for the verdict has also begun outside Prishtina. In several municipalities of Kosovo, the “Waiting Clock” has been set up, counting down until the verdict is announced in The Hague.

The post Verdict on KLA leaders to be watched on big screen in “Skënderbeu” square appeared first on Albeu.com.