Kurt recognizes the merits and protects the imprisoned Thaci, once called “Go Hashim”

It's a pleasure to talk to Matthew. Campbell for today's article in The Times. We talked about Kosovo's gratitude to the united Kingdom to rewrite the history and sight of the Balkans from Russia as the front line against NATO”, Kurti wrote on Twitter.

Within the article, Kurti is quoted as saying he is concerned that the Special Court can help Serbia to “rewrite history”. For the possibility of “riscription of history” by the trial of former KLA leaders, he wrote prestigious British newspapers “The Guardian” a week earlier.

Prime Minister Kurti has mentioned to British journalist that he and his party, the Vetevendosje Movement, have opposed the establishment of the Special Court, whose establishment was voted in the Kosovo Assembly in August 2015.

Kurt, to this day, is declared against this court. He did so in his interview at “The Times”.

But what has now changed to Kurti as prime minister is the attitude towards his great opponent, former President Hashim Thaci. Kurti had long confronted Thaci in the Assembly, among other things, with the Special Court.

A public address that Kurt made to Thaci in 2019 is remembered, which began with the repeat call “Go Hashim” The current prime minister invited then-President to surrender to The Hague.

The achievements and successes that Kosovo has had thanks to the sacrifices of our people and the KLA, but also thanks to the help of international friends, you tried to describe yourself. But when it came to bearing responsibility, you denied the KLA, you failed the people, and you betrayed those who traditionally supported Kosovo in the international arena. So the time has come for you to go, where you are being called, to the trap that you yourself set up to the liberation army, twist the hands of your party deputies and crush us all on August 3, 2015. Go Hashim”, Kurt's public letter began.

The LV leader described Thaci to The Hague prison, saying that it is not a tragedy to stay in it.

“Burg is not tragedy and fatal. Especially The Hague. I believe Ramush, Fatmir and Batoni told you: there's TV, good food three times a day, recreation halls and countless books in the rich library. Nothing bad happens to you there except that you will have time to face your own conscience, which you have not met for many years. Go Hashim”, the current prime minister wrote away.

Since the beginning of the trial of former KLA leaders, the prosecution has taken care to testify that the KLA has been structured, well-organised and that the General Staff, the four accused, have had executive powers.

Four years ago, Kurt invited Thaci not to let the Prosecutor take care of his subordinates in the war, but to “himself went”.

The Special Court's procedure has been brought to the commanders of the area, brigades, battalions and other entities. Don't let this happen. Get out of here. Protect them. Protect the KLA. Because it's not right to take credit for 20 years and no day”, Kurti wrote.

Kurt then told Thaci “don't think of giving the north a front or bossing us with Zayednica to save yourself. ”

The current prime minister said he didn't think Thaci was guilty of the war, but he had other sins and asked him to go to The Hague, becoming the “president to go into history”.

“Yeah, go Hashim. In The Hague say your word with arguments and facts, in defense of the liberation war, the KLA, the Albanians and our history. It belongs to you. You are the historian who was at war. Be the president of history. Go Hashim”

A year of this address passed, and Thaci went to The Hague to stay in custody for nearly three years. This was Kurt's final call to Thaci. With his departure from power and going to The Hague, Kurti has begun to recognise him as a <x0-> historical figure”.

On last year's anniversary of the KLA era, at a slam session in the Assembly, Kurti had mentioned KLA leaders in The Hague, saying that Adam Jashar's fellow fighters were being held there.

It is impossible not to mention that at the time when we remember one of the most terrible massacres of our liberation war and the most unprecedented heroisms, at The Hague we have allies of Adam and Yashahar being held in prison, for this very war, precisely for this war we have built with blood, while Serbia wants to rebuild it with lies”, Kurti said in the Parliament.

On the 15th anniversary of Kosovo's independence, the prime minister was asked by a magazine for the mistakes of former Presidents Ibrahim Rugova and Hashim Thaci and the Ademi Demacci event. In recent years it had only begun to honor Rugova, but that was the first time Kurt refused to talk about Thaci's mistakes and to declare it “historical figure”.

At this time, these three figures should be remembered with respect for their contributions, which were essentially different, although in the same direction -- that of Kosovo's independence. That's exactly what unites these three different figures from one another”, Kurti said.

Kurt's approach to his big political opponent has softened, but not enough to visit him and others in prison. When asked why he doesn't visit them, Kurt once said he didn't believe he could help by meeting them, and then said he didn't even go because he doesn't know the Special Court as an institution, and he needed “to sign many documents”.

A few days after speaking of the support of all KLA leaders who are in The Hague, including Thaci, the LV emerged in support of the KLA's defence march, but did not participate in it.

Two days after the trial against former officials began, in the absence of a statement, Kurti was asked by reporters for a comment about the trial. He said he had to leave and had no time to talk.