Rapajic: Outcome of KLA judgment could trigger protests or celebrations, dangerous moment for Serbs

Program Director of the NGO Center for Advocacy of Democratic Culture in North Mitrovica Aleksandar Rapajic assessed that the decision of the Specialist Chambers in The Hague in the case against four former KLA leaders could trigger reactions in the streets, including protests and public gatherings.

He warned that the messages heard during the rally in support of the KLA were concerning and that, although primarily directed at the international community, they could also be interpreted as messages to the Serbian community.

“We heard some rather concerning messages. They were primarily directed at the international community, but they can also be read as messages directed at the Serbian community. There were warnings that the four defendants in The Hague must under no circumstances be found guilty and that such a verdict would provoke a reaction,” he stressed.

Rapajic believes that the announced reaction could escalate into unrest, while also pointing to the political dimension of the rally, namely the competition among Albanian political parties for the support of voters who identify with the KLA legacy.

“I assume that reaction would involve some form of unrest, but we also saw attempts to use the gathering for political purposes. There is a struggle among Albanian political parties over the KLA legacy, and they are trying to win the votes of those who support that legacy. The PDK is the most active in this regard, but we can also see Self-Determination trying somehow to draw that nationalism to its side,” he said.

In his assessment, there will be a reaction regardless of the outcome of the court proceedings. Rapajic said that a judgment favorable to the four defendants could lead to celebrations, while a conviction could provide the impetus for protests.

“So, probably on September 16 or 17, or in the days that follow, we can expect some form of gathering and nationalist protest or celebration. I think there is reason for concern precisely because of the situation Kosovo as a whole currently finds itself in. First, no one will be the organizer of those gatherings, so there will be no one who can be held responsible. On the other hand, there are no fully functioning institutions; everything is provisional, so the caretaker government could easily say, ‘Well, we were only a caretaker government.’ Everything has come together to make this a dangerous moment, particularly for the Serbian community,” Rapajic said.