"We are liberators — Kurti must apologise", veteran mounts protest outside Government building

KLA war veteran Agim Pllashniku has staged a protest outside the Kosovo Government building, where he displayed photographs of former KLA leaders Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi.

During the protest, Pllashniku challenged Prime Minister Albin Kurti's statements regarding the former KLA leaders currently on trial in The Hague, saying that Kurti owes an apology to them, to war veterans and to the families of fallen fighters.

He also labelled the Vetëvendosje Movement a "terrorist organisation", alleging that it has acted against the Kosovo state.

"Calling these men oppressors — Albin Kurti has absolutely no grounds for that, because we are liberators. Those who attack the state are the terrorists. Vetëvendosje itself is a terrorist organisation, because it attacked the state of Kosovo — the very state these men liberated. They are defending Kosovo's independence in The Hague right now; they are defending all of Kosovo, the entire Albanian people and Albanian lands. So this is the last time I send him a message, and Albin Kurti should be well aware: he must never again insult a single liberator. Not ever. Neither Albin Kurti nor his people may insult or offend a liberator. If there are facts — evidence against any liberator — we have a state here, we have a Prosecutor's Office, a Court and a Police; let them send it there, rather than insulting liberators. All the more so now, when these men are in The Hague. Kurti is going after them too, because when he calls Rexhep Selimi an oppressor, he is calling me one as well — and every member of my veteran family," he said.

Speaking about the former KLA leaders facing trial at the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, Pllashniku said they are being held unjustly, adding that Kurti must understand that they are liberators, not oppressors.

"We are liberators — we liberated Pristina, we liberated Kosovo. The founders of the KLA have been held in The Hague unjustly for six years now, in pre-trial detention on charges that originate from Serbia. These men are the founders of the KLA; they are not oppressors — Albin Kurti must understand that — they are liberators. Albin Kurti owes us an apology: first and foremost to those who are in prison right now, and then to all veterans, to the families of fallen fighters, to war invalids, and to the families of massacre victims — he owes every one of them an apology. Because if he does not apologise, we will hold a very large protest — one that will shake all of Kosovo," Pllashniku concluded.