16 years ago Fatmir Limaj was acquitted by The Hague Tribunal

Limaj, MP in Kosovo's first Parliamentary Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party of Kosovo legislation and chief of parliament, had been arrested on orders from The Hague Tribunal in February 2003, to be released nearly two years later, returning innocent.

On 1 December 2005, Fatmir Limaj appeared at Pristina Airport, where top political leaders came out to welcome him. His associates at war were the first to greet him after his return. Hashim Thaci, Azem Syla, Sylejman Selimi, Jakupi Krasniqi, Rexhep Selimi, Rama Buja of Agim Ceku.

With them, thousands of Kosovo citizens waited for Commander Steel, filling the streets and squares.

Only after greeting his associates did Limaj meet with his young children and other family members.

Welcome to Kosovo”, he said, passing among gathered people.

A little later, Limaj told thousands of citizens in front of him that our “license is your victory”.

“We were released because prior to all you had faith in our innocence”, Limaj said.

At the party for Limaj's release, the most excited were his family members. His brother, Demir Limaj, then deputy in the Kosovo Assembly, in a conversation by The Hague for Radio Free Europe, had said the family has been convinced all along of Fatmir Limaj's innocence.

We as a family have been convinced that three years Fatmir is innocent and I consider it necessary to mention his slogan that “I am as pure as the tear”. And, finally, international justice proved its genuine and pure innocence as the tear”, he said.

PDK officials, who were even Limaj's best friends, celebrated within and outside party headquarters for Limaj's release.

President Ibrahim Rugova had welcomed The Hague tribunal's act of judgment through a written statement.

Today's trial confirms the justice of the Kosovo Albanians' liberation war against Serbian occupation, the justice of the war for freedom and independence of our country, as well as credibility in international justice and The Hague Tribunal”, the statement by President Rugova said.

Meanwhile, then Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi had said the decision was also a testimony that Limaj and his fellow fighters have had only one goal in life -- the struggle for Kosovo's freedom.

Two days before Limaj's release, tens of thousands of citizens had protested the streets of Pristina in support of the accused, calling for justice.

Years later, Limaj confessed to the situation in The Hague prison, where Serb criminals such as Slobodan Milosevic, Vojislav Seshel's Ratko Mladic, were held.

The court determines whether you are or not you are guilty, even though it was injustice to us. The situation was fragic in Kosovo at the same time, independence was far away. My worry was for people to accept this decision calmly. It is unfathomable to be in prison with those killed by 4,000-5000 people, with people convicted of genocide, with Serbian generals such as Krstic, etc., and”, Limaj said.

And getting into that environment, it's hard emotionally, but in these situations you have to trust God and justice and you have to face it until the final act of”, he said.