Deliverance Day: Former KLA leaders come with a message from The Hague for Kosovo

Journalist Basmir Xhemaj has visited the former heads of the Kosovo Liberation Army at The Hague.

Xhemaj said they have congratulated the people of Kosovo on the 23rd anniversary of their liberation.

He has shared some interesting moments from his visit.

The former spokeswoman of the Democratic Party of Kosovo stressed that former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has started his conversation with “and”, as he often presented himself to the public, especially during campaigns.

Basmir Xhemaj said his friends looked in a very good mood.

The rescuers congratulate us on our Day of Deliverance. Greet Kosovo unanimously by beating our wings” said Xhemaj.

President Hashim Thaci, with the mood we recognize from media conferences and field campaigns, appears the same. “And... ”- is the expression that restores the room's vitality as it claps its hands. Nothing escapes his keen vision of purity of mind. Keeping in good shape, he too, like Kadriu, asks and cares about his fellow friends. Although without a function, it felt the weight of people who carried on their shoulders the age of glory and our history”- he stressed.

Full text:

Visit the Deliverers!

Wednesday afternoon, June 8th, we were found in passport control at Vienna Airport. On the line from Pristina, it meets all sorts of delegations, officials and half officials who are in charge of Europe. A group of MPs traveling towards Denmark at the Forum for Democracy, another even higher in the Parliament towards Austria, and so on into smaller groups. We were rushing to catch our next flight to The Hague, for which we had only 30 minutes. Our growth in the packed airport spaces is understandable. If we miss our flight, we lost the next visit we had waited for long and aware that one does not often come.

As soon as we tread on Schiphol, in the Netherlands, among the largest airports in Europe, the colors, flowers, and lollipops of people rushing in their direction, even though we observe them, are not impressed. We are drawn by a few voices in Albanian, family members of war leaders in The Hague who were wandering alone with their fate, who, in spite of their anger, have decided to challenge their resistance, will, and courage once again. They too had come to visit. We greet and share warmly with them.

The vision of what lies in store for us inside the prison cell at the detention center grows heavier over the hours. How are they? What are they doing inside those walls? Do they follow developments in Kosovo? Above all, how do people feel who have written Kosovo's newest history in that situation? These questions don't bother me.

My friends and I decided that we could walk from our hotel to the Paraburg Center. We quickly cross one road after another to continue alongside numerous, lush parks. The only mention of that beautiful city is the buildings protected by high iron fences and bulbs built for years there. On one of them is a plaque with an English inscription, “Kosovo Specialised Chambers”.

For local residents, they're just ordinary buildings for us, they're the opposite. It holds our very glorious story. The leaders of the most successful war in Kosovo's history inspire within four walls.

We arrive in Scheveningen 15 minutes early, but we enter 15 minutes late. The security guards who behave with us aren't too hasty. Who knows how many years they've been working there with their daily routine, not realizing that the minute seemed like a century. We were eager to meet rescuers.

As soon as we pass our final security check, there's a sense of vitality coming into the hall. With heavy iron doors open, we feel the ease and joy of meeting each one brings better than the other. Totally unique in their manner, without losing sense of humor or morality, one by one comes Kadri Veselini, Hashim Thaci and Rexhep Selimi. No protocol. Friends look in a good mood, held together, and, as you can't imagine, a lot of batta. Their full response of energy and positive behavior takes away our frowning faces and our speech in half a voice.

With Kadri, the conversation begins where we left the morning of November 5, 2020, while we were drafting the last sentences of his welcoming letter to the people of Kosovo. In those long, heavy minutes, it was he who strengthened colleagues beyond the fate he expected in a few hours. He had not changed for an inch after almost two years to The Hague. He was the same, with great courage and greater determination than ever to move forward. Memory, frankness, the kind of self-confidence that was spreading, made me think that I have a young man who talks about starting a college dream, and not in a court where he has to spend hours with volumeal, boring, fictional documents.

He's not upset, on the contrary, he reminds me of Remark's novel, nothing new from the Western Front”, separately paragraph, “Every soldier only lives because of a thousand coincidences. And, every soldier has a lot of faith in chance”. This is the fate of a warrior, whether good or bad. If they are not preceded, you must follow him without ever losing confidence in righteousness and justice. We're not fed up with tea and conversation. Kosovo is the top one. Minutes pass quickly.

For a moment, the room door opens.

President Hashim Thaci, with the mood we recognize from media conferences and campaigns on the ground, appears the same. “And... ”- is the expression that restores the room's vitality as it claps its hands. Nothing escapes his keen vision of purity of mind. Keeping in good shape, he too, like Kadriu, asks and cares about his fellow friends. Although without a function, it feels the weight of people who have carried on their shoulders ages of glory and history.

We all agree that freedom is priced and does not come alone. The less she's not forgiven, but she's won, with war, blood and sacrifice. Freedom earned.

The battle ahead is the next test of war leaders. This time not with Serbia, as once young and with great ideals, but with its multi-year propaganda efficiency.

The conversation takes us to their daily life in The Hague, separately to readings. After all, the book “Albanian at CIA”. In Kosovo I had not had the opportunity to separate myself from a copy. The mid-year 2020 events were more radical than the contents of the book. Rexha had brought the book to their attention months earlier in The Hague, but without recalling the author's name. As a coincidence, as soon as we get together again at the end of our visit, Raj commends me for the book. She had read it during her summer vacation, just promoted in April 2019. It was nice.

Fortunately, I had received copies from Pristina. Pleased to confirm the news. I feel relieved.

The delivery of gifts has a special procedure, just to remind us terribly of where we are. At a detention facility thousands of miles from Kosovo, but bearing the name of DPSK. Bookbooks should also pass through a thousand security procedures.

Deliverers congratulate us on our Day of Deliverance.

Greet Kosovo unanimously- beating our wings.

While reading this scripture, the books may have reached the chambers of the leaders of war. I made sure that each one of them leaves a message:

“in recognition of the leading role in the struggle for Kosovo's freedom and independence. With respect, the Author. June 12th 2022, The Hague”