Thousands of ethnic Albanians from across the region gathered in Skanderbeg Square in Pristina on Saturday to show support for former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders facing trial in The Hague.
Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, along with Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi, and Rexhep Selimi, have been detained since November 2020 by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. All four have pleaded not guilty.
Protesters carried banners reading “Freedom Has a Name,” “History Cannot Be Rewritten,” and “Freedom in the Name of the People,” calling for justice for the former KLA leaders. The demonstration, organized under the slogan “Justice, Not Politics” by the civic initiative Freedom Has a Name, was attended by senior political figures including Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, BDI leader Ali Ahmeti, and Albanian parliamentarian Taulant Balla.
Balla, a leading advocate for the cause, has repeatedly called for support of the detained leaders and criticized what he described as historical injustice at the Hague tribunal. Earlier this month, he initiated a resolution in the Albanian parliament urging official support for the former KLA commanders, which was passed with 92 votes from both left and right-wing parties.
Speaking at the rally, Ismail Tasholli of Freedom Has a Name told the crowd: “Citizens demand justice, not politics. Today we send a special message to those in The Hague… You are not alone. Behind you stands an entire nation, behind you stands our sacrifice, our freedom.”
Other speakers included Vasfije Krasniqi-Goodman, a survivor of wartime sexual violence, and former KLA fighters, who emphasized that the KLA fought to defend homes and communities, not to seize territory.
“The KLA was a shield for children, women, and the elderly,” said former fighter Muhamer Ibrahimi. “It was the last response of a people threatened with annihilation. Today, seeing this crowd, I know those in The Hague are not alone. Behind them stands the people.”
Shqipe Krasniqi, one of the first female fighters of the KLA, highlighted that the trial touches on collective memory and the sacrifices made during the war for Kosovo’s independence. She called for a fair and impartial justice system grounded in historical context.
Separately, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama called former President Thaçi on Saturday to congratulate him on Kosovo’s 18th Independence Day. Rama described the call as emotionally difficult but noted Thaçi sounded calm, saying: “I have won freedom forever, and no one can take it from me wherever I am.”
Kosovo’s 18th Independence Day marks the culmination of a long struggle. Following the 1998-1999 conflict and NATO intervention, the country declared independence on Feb. 17, 2008. Thousands of citizens also gathered in Pristina to mark the occasion and reiterate support for former KLA leaders.
Albanian opposition leader Sali Berisha, speaking from Krujë, called Kosovo a “model of democracy, light, and hope for the region,” and praised the sacrifices of past generations, including the late former President Ibrahim Rugova, for securing Kosovo’s independence.