Another protest held in Pristina because of war crime verdicts passed against leaders of so-called KLA

Photo: Tanjug/AP

Another protest has been held in Pristina because of the guilty verdicts passed by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague against four former leaders of the so-called KLA ("Kosovo Liberation Army), who stood trial accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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The speakers at the protest repeated the claims that the verdicts were "unjust" and "unacceptable" and noted that the so-called KLA was fighting on the same side as NATO, and for that reason now see "international representatives" as having "betrayed Kosovo in terms of the trial".

They also asked for amendments to be adopted to the Law on Specialist Chambers, which were sent to the assembly in Pristina by the Democratic Party of Kosovo.

The media in Pristina say that at the end of the protest, a group of participants tried to break into the courtyard of the government of the provisional institutions, but were stopped by the so-called Kosovo police.

After that, the participants in the protest submitted a proposal to amend the law, and they also presented a uniform of the so-called KLA while in the government building.

Former members of the so-called KLA and family members of those convicted of war crimes last month took part in the protest, while arrivals by bus were organized from most towns in Kosovo and Metohija by the organizer of the protest, identified as "Freedom Has a Name platform".

The participants chanted "KLA" and the names of those convicted of war crimes and carried flags and emblems of the so-called KLA, as well as flags of NATO and the US and banners that read, "We are the descendants of the KLA", "Not in my name", "Freedom has a name".

The protest was held on the day President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen was visiting Pristina.

Before Von der Leyen's arrival, a group of Albanians protested at the airport in Pristina, blocking the main exit, so a convoy of vehicles carrying the president of the European Commission was forced to change its route and continue towards Lipljan.

Four protesters who blocked roads near the airport were arrested.

Since the sentencing of the former leaders of the so-called KLA on September 16, daily protests are being held in Pristina, and on the first day, the EU mission, EULEX, headquarters and the government of the provisional institutions were pelted with sotnes.

At that time, pyrotechnic devices were also thrown at the EULEX building, causing part of the roof to catch fire.

On September 16, Kosovo Specialist Chambers located in The Hague convicted former leaders of the so-called KLA Hashim Thaci and Jakup Krasniqi each to 25, Kadri Veseli to 18, and Rexhep Selimi to 13 years in prison.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)