O V L- Hashi's KLA: We have not had secret bases in Albania

The chairman of this organisation, Xhevdet Thaci, has called these arrests unjust, saying the Kosovo Liberation Army has fought fair and dignified wars.

He in an interview for Kosovo, has also denied claims that there have been secret grounds in Albania, where the Kosovo Liberation Army has stayed in them during the war.

In fact, statements that Hashim Thaci and Kadri Wessel have stayed there call them false, since he says they are being made to show out of pride that they too come from a war zone and perhaps even to draw close to the heads of state.

While the arrests the Special Court has made against KLA leaders, the War Veterans' Organisation, Hasi's branch, deems them unfair.

Thaci has also talked about the number of Hasin area veterans who have said 80 per cent of them were not part of the Kosovo Liberation Army, and that certificates have been bought with money.

The “]acles are fabricated, unfortunately even part of our people or former co-workers of the past system, in the inability to hit the Kosovo Liberation Army, have become the unjust medics of this court. And we as the branch organisation in Has, highly unfairly appreciate the arrest of the heads of state, also the Kosovo Liberation Army because the Kosovo Liberation Army has fought a very fair, fair and dignified war, and we await their freedom as soon as possible in Kosovo”, Thaci has said.

While for statements that there have been secret KLA bases in Albania, he has said they are untrue, but are made for any good purpose by residents, but also to show that they are residents of the war zone.

Thaci has also told of some points that were used at the time by the Kosovo Liberation Army, which he said were used for the collection of ammunition.

“As far as KLA bases in Albania, I was part of the Kosovo Liberation Army, even in guerrillas, on the basis we called them bases before March 5, 98. I'm talking about the area from the line, me and you as responsibility we've had. The base we called it there, when in small groups we came from abroad or from Kosovo we came out to Albania, to bring any weapons. The goal has always been to extend the war across the entire territory of the country, the purpose is known to free our homeland and there have been two bases that have never given us bread and slept there and have been truly loyal... I understand residents of the Hasi area, after going to The Hague of both KLA leaders Hashim Thaci and Kadri Veselin and Rexhep Selimi, each resident of the area there when giving some interviews the goal was for good, because it was the pride that we came to an area that was related to the fate of the war. After 1998 it was home to be base, and they actually didn't know Hashim Thaci. After March 5th in Vlane has been a barn or some kind of storage of Albania's past system, where several uniforms have usually come from exile, where they have been deposited for the needs of war in Kosovo, but it has been an old warehouse that a part has been without a peak of”, Thaci said.

Thaci has declared that they are not real what they say about KLA bases, since KLA structures have had the special sector when they crossed Albanian territory, but even when they entered Kosovo and did not enable any residents to have contact with these people because it was necessary.

While adding that it is a second layer that has by chance been chosen in war and, in the inability of controlling these, have come to the sale of veteran status.

The OVL chairman, Hasi's branch, Xhevdet Thaci, who also represents Albania's veterans in an interview for KosovoPress, has said that from the current number of Hasi veterans, 80 per cent have not been part of the army.

He has declared that the largest number of them are not veterans, but are simply carrying a certificate that they have bought with money or myth.

We unfortunately represent both Kosovo and Albania. I've come mayor for a year at OVL branch, Has. There are over 4682 veterans in our area, and most of them or 80 percent of them, the status to be veterans have bought money or myths, but these are not veterans, but they only own a card that unfortunately with the greatest shame I'm saying, that we put it on the market and somebody bought it, and that error has been ours as an organization, not to blame friends, but to the organisations they've been involved with”, Thaci said.

He even says there are facts that prove that various amounts of money have been given to grant veteran status.

And we have arguments and footage that when certificates were given, they were sold from 1500 euros to 5 thousand euros, and by abusing people in the lowest possible way, by mocking, tarnishing, selling them certificates, but this is a line that has reached the government commission that has been severely abused... We know them by name and surname... it took us a long time with their names, without their apps and day after day who is the signatory... they stand in my hands”, Thaci said.

While saying that these facts have sent two Kosovo Prosecution papers to investigate these cases, because as Thaci, OVL in Has, is willing to co-operate with arguments rather than gossip.

The exact number of veterans in Has Has, we have as our branch, and the brigade as well as the logistics and housing, because the KLA unfortunately, the law divided into three categories, war veterans, veteran members and veteran participants, but the biggest disaster is that there are over 4682 in the first category. We have sent two paperwork to the Kosovo Prosecution, we have been offered a co-operation, at a certain moment we will publish (names), but because it is the evolutioned policy we have not published”, Thaci said.

Thaci has said the Hasi veterans' branch has an office that has opened since one year, calling on those who have not been KLA soldiers to voluntarily hand over their status, otherwise if they do not hand over their names will be published.