War Veterans’ Protest Sparks Tension Between Kosovo and Albania PMs

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and the biggest party in Kosovo, Vetevendosje, traded accusations on Thursday ahead of an upcoming veterans’ protest against the Hague-based Kosovo Specialist Chambers war crimes court due to be held in Tirana. The row started when Vetevendosje reaffirmed its objection to the Hague court and its support for the protest by Kosovo Liberation Army veterans in Tirana on Friday – accusing many political figures who are now against the court, including Rama, of having once backed it. “Before they protest, these actors and politicians must show at least a minimum of regret for their past wrong stances. A clear example is the current PM of Albania, Edi Rama himself, who even came to Kosovo on an emergency visit by helicopter to convince the parties here to vote in favour of establishing this court,” Vetevendosje said in a statement on Facebook on Wednesday. Rama, who has an uneasy relationship with Vetevendosje’s leader Albin Kurti, the acting prime minister of Kosovo, returned fire. Rama wrote on X on Thursday that he has constantly condemned the arrest for war crimes of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, who is currently on trial at the Hague court. He said that a decade ago, Vetevendosje “did not even recognise the Kosovo [national] anthem, let alone the innocence of Hashim Thaci, whom it would love [to stay] in The Hague eternally”. Thaci was the leader of a rival party to Vetevendosje, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK. Meanwhile the Kosovo Liberation Army War Veterans’ Organisation accused  Vetevendosje of trying to “politicise” Friday’s protest in Tirana – the latest in a series of rallies against the Hague-based Specialist Chambers and for the freeing of Thaci and his three co-defendants. They previously rallied against the court in September in The Hague and in August in Pristina. “This protest is not by any political party – it is the voice of the Albanian people, the voice of the veterans, of the families of the martyrs, and of all those that do not agree with the injustice being done against the leaders of the KLA in The Hague,” the War Veterans’ Organisation wrote on Facebook. It also said that the veterans “are calling for justice for our fighters – and punishment for the crimes of Serbia”. Thaci was indicted in October 2020 and resigned as Kosovo President in November 2020 to face the charges. He was sent to The Hague with former parliament speakers Jakup Krasniqi and Kadri Veseli and former MP Rexhep Selimi. They have been in detention ever since. The four are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Kosovo war, including the murder of about 100 persons. They have all pleaded not guilty. The Kosovo Specialist Chambers are part of Kosovo’s justice system but are based in The Hague with an international staff to ensure fair proceedings after witness intimidation problems in previous KLA-related cases. Many ethnic Albanians and KLA supporters insist that the court is biased as it is only trying Kosovo fighters, leaving many crimes by Serbian forces unpunished. Despite their political differences, most parties in Kosovo support Friday’s protest. It has also drawn support from Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani. She said on Wednesday said that the KLA fought a “just war for freedom” to protect “innocent citizens who were killed and massacred by the Serbian army”. There had been much speculation over whether Rama would join the protest in Tirana himself.  He clarified that he would have taken part “as a simple participant”, but cannot because the risk of politicisation “would harm its purpose and popularity”.