Odalovic: All Albanian parties are united in their attitude toward Serbs and in defending the KLA’s political legacy

The President of the Serbian Government Commission for Missing Persons, Veljko Odalovic, says that the political scene in Kosovo is deeply divided, but that almost no Albanian political party in the campaign is raising the issue of relations toward Serbs, institutional violence and unresolved crimes committed against the Serbian and other non-Albanian populations, adding that the current campaign is also being conducted in the shadow of the expected verdict against KLA leaders.

As he states, the international community is formally not directly interfering in political processes, but at the same time is showing unwillingness to seriously confront crimes committed in Kosovo.

“Those who should bear the greatest political and personal responsibility today are the holders of electoral lists, they are running for office, receiving political space, immunity and the opportunity to enter parliament,” Odalovic emphasized.

He added that in this way, according to him, a kind of political promotion of the former KLA is being carried out and an attempt is being made to relativize crimes committed against Serbs.

Odalovic stated that the current campaign is also taking place in the shadow of the expected verdict against KLA leaders before the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, which is why there is a high degree of political unity among Albanian parties.

“There is visible pressure on the court not to deliver the kind of verdict it should deliver based on the evidence presented. During the proceedings, the existence of illegal camps was confirmed, as were numerous crimes against Serbs and other non-Albanians,” he said.

He particularly pointed to the resolution adopted in the Kosovo parliament, as well as statements by Albin Kurti and other senior officials regarding the role of the KLA.

“Any differing opinion is practically declared unacceptable, which shows a high degree of political exclusivity,” the interviewee assessed.

He added that particularly worrying is the fact that no one has been held accountable for the killings and disappearances of several thousand Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo.

“The international community witnessed those events, but a clear reaction is still lacking,” he said.

Speaking about the attitude toward Serbs in Kosovo, the interviewee stated that a large part of the campaign is being conducted against the Serb List and Serbian political unity.

He added that there are political differences among Albanian parties, but that they are almost united when it comes to their attitude toward Serbs and the defense of the KLA’s political legacy.

“No party has seriously reacted to the problems Serbs in Kosovo are going through, nor to the pressures faced by the Serb List,” Odalovic concluded.