Another Attempt on Law Defending KLA War Values

The bill proposed by the Democratic Party of Kosovo envisions determining the institutional and civic obligation to protect the KLA's war values. The value of war, under this bill, is the armed struggle of the people of Kosovo, led by the KLA itself as armed military formation, the veteran of KLA, flag, soldier's oath, coating, General Staff, Political Directorate, staff of operational zones, archives, and the memorial complex “Adem Jashari” in Prekaz and other complexes.

The bill envisions respect for the values of war, institutional protection, the War Museum, the Day of the Memorial of the war for liberation, punishment provisions, and underground acts. If the current KLA war values protection bill is adopted in the Kosovo Assembly as a law, there will be budgetary implications of 2 million and 250 thousand euros, without even counting on investments for the construction of the War Museum.

The head of the Kosovo Assembly has proceeded with this bill and is now sent to the functional commission, which in this case is the Commission for Education, Science, Technology, Culture, Youth and Innovation.

The KLA war values protection bill has been proposed by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), originally in April of 2018, while in October of that same year it was considered in principle by the same functional Commission.

But, according to PDK officials, further prosecution of this bill was stalled because of changes in the country's executive leadership during 2019.

PDK open to suggestions, LVV with many remarks

On 30 April 2020, the Democratic Party of Kosovo has again proposed to the Kosovo Assembly the same bill, without any changes in content, officials of this party have confirmed.

The proposal, on behalf of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, has been made by deputy Gazmend Bytyqi.

In a conversation with Radio Free Europe, he says Bytyqi is optimistic that Kosovo Assembly deputies, regardless of party differences, will vote on the Law to protect the KLA's war values, because this would fully complete the legal framework related to the values of war.

Therefore, we expect, here at least, all political parties or MPs will try to play the power and opposition game and make strict party politics. But we expect everyone to support him. We'll be very open, me and the Parliamentary Group The PDK to meet or receive suggestions and advice, but not only remarks from all other parliamentary groups, but we have also met all associations derived from the war and we expect to have their proposals, so that this law can be as content and to protect or assess the KLA's holy war as best it can, Bytyqi said.

But, Rexhep Selimi, chief of the Parliamentary Group of Vetevendosje, the largest opposition party, tells Radio Free Europe that the Bill initiated by the PDK for the protection of the KLA's war values does not have the proper content in line with the topic it deals with.

Commenting on this bill, according to him, the Vetevendosje Movement had expressed it even when it was first initiated in 2018 and would again express itself. According to him, the remarks will not be slim, but this does not mean that the Vetevendosje Movement opposes adopting a Law to protect the KLA's war values.

He says that numerous remarks, the Vetevendosje Movement, have also had for the KLA war veterans' Law, which political opponents had described as opposing the law. But, as he says, the remarks were laid down to make the law better, which did not happen, and according to him, the consequences are already obvious.

“Should not do the same with the KLA war values Law, simply fill an empty space with something that is not adequate. If it is the left-over space, the law, so the protection of the KLA's war values, then it would have to meet that space with an adequate law, with a law that treats the KLA with great dignity. We don't have to be against it, but we don't even want to accept it. We are there to give our thoughts, to give our remarks. We have enough remarks. In accordance with the involvement of our remarks, then we will also represent the vote for this bill or not. In any case, if this law is not going to change as it currently is, it is not worth supporting”, Selim stressed.

Haradinaj: Better Any Law Than All

Meanwhile, representatives of the Association of Veterans in the Kosovo Liberation Army see it as unnecessary prolongation so far the adoption of a Law to protect the KLA's war values. The deputy head of this organisation, Nasim Haradinaj, speaking of Radio Free Europe, says that along the mandates of the last three governments, it has been intended for the bill to be processed for approval in the Assembly, but this has not happened.

According to him, the drafting of a law on protecting the KLA's war values has been delayed because of, as he says, “the approaches of political parties”.

Already, despite remarks he may have on the current bill, as he says, it is better to have a law on protecting KLA war values than at all.

Now, I'm glad they've finally done something. But it seems that the American Embassy's insistence that it is here, because at the meeting our chairman (Hysni Gucati), the ambassador (Philip Costnet) has promised to help this law be approved as soon as possible. If the law is approved, like any law it is good, until another law is met, with amendments and others. But the important thing is that we at least have a law because we haven't had until now, and people haven't had respect for these values of war, and they haven't even known that they have obligations to these values. It's really good to be done, and it's too late. Bad even shame for those who have been delaying”, Haradinaj said.

Recently, on July 9th, the Kosovo Assembly has also adopted a resolution “on the protection of the values of the people of Kosovo”, where it has been said that the Kosovo Assembly “sees the necessary political and civic unity of protecting the KLA and the people of Kosovo”.