Written by VETËVENDOSJE!

In the seventh session of EULEX’s political trial against Albin Kurti, as expected, the defense lawyer Musa Dragusha assigned by EULEX yesterday, was absent. Thus the trial was adjourned until Monday at 10:00.

Musa Dragusha was assigned as defense lawyer in this case, after the previous defense lawyer Avni Gjakova resigned. Even though yesterday EULEX did not officially accept Avni Gjakova’s resignation, hoping that he would attend today, at the same time they assigned as defense lawyer, Musa Dragusha, head of the Kosova Bar Association. A month ago, Musa Dragusha held a press conference in which he had condemned the pressure EULEX was putting on Kosova’s lawyers, while supporting at that time, the assigned lawyer, Ramiz Krasniqi. As if on purpose, EULEX reassigned Musa Dragusha to take on the role which he had refused earlier.

In today’s session, the Presiding Judge de Mongeot ordered the release of an arrest warrant for Albin Kurti, and he announced that disciplinary measures would be taken against the lawyers which have refused to participate in this political trial. As is clear from EULEX’s decision to bring back Musa Dragusha, EULEX’s pressure aims to target and destroy the moral dignity and professional integrity of Kosova’s lawyers. Lëvizja VETËVENDOSJE! encourages Kosova’s lawyers and it supports their resistance against EULEX’s pressure.

On the other hand, the trial prosecutor, Ali Rexha, is working with great dedication in this persecution of Albin Kurti. He has not withdrawn EULEX’s three charges against Albin Kurti. With regard to the first charge, which claims that Albin Kurti led a crowd of protestors which caused general danger, we advise Ali Rexha that on that day, it was UNMIK police which murdered two protestors and injured over 80 others, and so it was they which caused concrete and general danger. With regard to the second charge, that Albin Kurti obstructed official persons performing their duty, we remind Ali Rexha that unfortunately, we could not obstruct these official persons performing their duty, because we could not stop those who were killing and injuring people. And, it was UNMIK police which obstructed us in our peaceful march, since they attacked us by putting in place a cordon of murdering police. Meanwhile, regarding the third charge that Albin Kurti made a call for resistance, we inform Ali Rexha that Lëvizja VETËVENDOSJE! still calls for resistance against UNMIK, whose murderers he is protecting, and against EULEX, who he is serving with such servility.

Now, after the failure of the seventh session in a row, it is time for EULEX to understand and to accept that this failure derives from the injustice of the trial and that of the EULEX mission itself, and consequently, to close this political and scandalous trial against Albin Kurti. This has been demanded not just by Lëvizja VETËVENDOSJE! and civil society, but also by 175,000 Albanian citizens, who have signed the petition demanding an end to the persecution of Albin Kurti, which is being led by EULEX and by our subservient politicians.