Afrim Gashi: My reaction to verdict against KLA leaders was a personal view
Gashi says his Facebook post on 16 September reflected his personal view and that he did not speak for the Assembly.
Assembly Speaker Afrim Gashi said the message he published after the verdict against former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders reflected his personal view and not an official position of the Assembly.
Gashi made the clarification while answering questions at a press briefing and again after a regular meeting with media representatives. He reminded reporters that his comment was posted on his personal Facebook account on 16 September, the same day a panel of the Specialist Chambers in The Hague delivered sentences for Hashim Thaci, Jakup Krasniqi, Kadri Veseli and Rexhep Selimi.
Verdicts and sentences
The Specialist Chambers in The Hague found the four former KLA leaders guilty of war crimes committed during the 1998–1999 conflict. Hashim Thaci and Jakup Krasniqi were sentenced to 25 years each, Kadri Veseli to 18 years and Rexhep Selimi to 13 years in prison.
Gashi said his Facebook post described the defendants as belonging to "a glorious chapter in Kosovo’s history" and noted that the decisions are first-instance rulings subject to appeal. He added that 16 September should be a day when people stand together with dignity and calm and show support for the families of those involved.
Asked how he separated his public role from his personal convictions, Gashi replied that he had not invoked the Assembly as an institution in his post and expected both journalists and citizens to understand that he cannot be only the Speaker 24 hours a day. In English translation he said: "I expect you, the journalists, and the citizens to understand that the person Afrim Gashi cannot be, 24 hours and from a political aspect, only the Speaker of the Assembly. Therefore, being aware that I was not saying this from the position of Speaker of the Assembly, it was my personal view from my political past and it was clear that nowhere did I refer to the Assembly or to the institution. So I would like you and the citizens to understand that this is my personal stance and should not be mixed with the function I perform."
The speaker’s remarks drew sharp criticism from the opposition Social Democratic Union (SDSM), which called his positions inappropriate for someone who holds a high state office and represents a country that seeks EU membership. At the same time, Gashi’s party, Vlen, described the sentences as unjust and unacceptable.
Former DUI leader Ali Ahmeti also called the verdict unfair and deeply disappointing, urging restraint and unity while noting that the fight for justice will continue through the appeals process. Representatives of the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom urged acceptance and respect for the Hague rulings.
Photo: Printskrin
