Avdiu disputes the Specialist Chambers judgment: At Allaqi’s insistence, Thaçi was elected to the group for organisation

Former activist of the People’s Movement of Kosovo (LPK) and former member of its Steering Committee Ramadan Avdiu has disputed on Debat Plus the findings of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers judgment regarding claims of a disagreement between Hashim Thaçi, Azem Syla and activist Behajdin Allaqi.

In the first-instance judgment against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, the Trial Panel found that in 1993 Allaqi had had a serious disagreement with Thaçi and Syla, who accused him of having brought Shaban Shala into the movement, whom they considered a spy for Serbia.

According to the judgment, that disagreement had also affected the role that had been promised to Allaqi.

Avdiu, however, has denied these claims, saying there had been no such conflict between them.

“It is absolutely untenable. I don’t know what it is based on. I have seen some writings, and a book too. And this is completely untrue. There was debate there. At every meeting we debated. We debated with the aim of improving things and organising ourselves better,” Avdiu stated.

According to him, the meeting attended by Thaçi and Allaqi was consultative and the two represented the councils of their respective districts.

“They were at the meeting as representatives of the district councils. Thaçi represented the Skenderaj district council, Allaqi the Prizren district council. That meeting was consultative, it was not a general one. Armed actions were supported there. A call was made for unity and unification,” he said.

Avdiu gave another detail, saying that, according to him, it was precisely Allaqi who had insisted that Thaçi be elected to a group responsible for organisation and reorganisation.

“In fact, at Allaqi’s insistence, Thaçi was elected a member of the group for organisation and reorganisation,” Avdiu stated.