site.btaTens of Thousands Rally in Pristina in Support of Former Kosovo Liberation Army Leaders on Independence Day

Tens of thousands of people gathered for a peaceful protest in central Pristina on Tuesday in support of four former leaders of the disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA/UCK) - Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi, who are on trial in The Hague on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The rally coincided with the 18th anniversary of Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia. Belgrade, along with its allies Russia and China, as well as five EU member states, do not recognize Kosovo’s statehood.

Thaci is a former president and prime minister of Kosovo, while Veseli and Krasniqi previously served as speakers of the Kosovo parliament. Selimi was a lawmaker. 

The four former KLA commanders were transferred to detention in The Hague on November 4 and 5, 2020, after an indictment against them was confirmed over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 1998-1999 Kosovo war. All four have pleaded not guilty and denied the charges.

The trial before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague began on April 3, 2023, and was initially scheduled to conclude in December 2025. The proceedings are currently in their final phase, with closing arguments being heard until February 18. A first-instance verdict is expected within 90 days thereafter.

Protesters waved flags, wore uniforms and traditional Albanian white caps (plis) bearing the KLA emblem, and carried banners with images of Thaci and Veseli reading "War Heroes".

The crowd also displayed flags of Kosovo, Albania and the United States, filling Skanderbeg Square and the entire pedestrian boulevard leading to Zahir Pajaziti Square in central Pristina.

From a stage set up in Skanderbeg Square, organizers called for the release of the four former KLA commanders, who have been detained in The Hague for five years, and urged that victims of the Kosovo war not be equated with the aggressor.

During the 1998-1999 conflict between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian KLA fighters, Serbian authorities rejected Western demands for reconciliation, prompting NATO to launch a 78-day bombing campaign against Serbia that led to its withdrawal from Kosovo, then a Serbian province. Around 13,000 people, mostly ethnic Albanians, were killed during the conflict, and about 1,600 are still missing, according to international reports.

Protesters chanted "UCK", the Albanian acronym for the KLA, and carried placards reading "Freedom for the Liberators", "Freedom Has a Name: KLA", "Our Pride", and "History Cannot Be Rewritten".

The prolonged detention of the four former KLA leaders at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers has sparked peaceful protests in their support in Pristina, The Hague, Tirana, Strasbourg and Skopje.

Tuesday’s rally was the second such protest in the Kosovar capital and carried symbolic significance as it coincided with the 18th anniversary of Kosovo’s declaration of independence in Pristina.

The protest was organized by the civic platform "Freedom Has a Name: KLA" (Liria ka emer: UCK), affiliated with the former KLA, which said the event was held under the slogan "Justice, Not Politics" and was not linked to political parties.

While the march was the main public event of the day, Kosovo’s Independence Day was also marked by other official ceremonies, including a parade by the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) and the Kosovo Police.