"FATHERLAND SECURITY" REJECTS LDK, SAYS IT HAS KOSOVO PRESIDENT'S "BLESSING"
BBC Monitoring - July 19, 2004


"Fatherland Security presidency, says it has 'President Rugova's blessing'", published by Kosovo Albanian newspaper Koha Ditore on 18 July.

Prishtina (Pristina), 17 July: Through a press release sent via email on Saturday (17 July), the organization calling itself Fatherland Security has rejected the recent claims of the Democratic League of Kosova (Kosovo) (LDK) that this organization does not exist and that the party in power has nothing to do with it.

"On this occasion, anonymous politicians, terrified out of fear of possible guilt, tried to close their eyes 'like the donkey before the wolf' and are praying that Fatherland Security is just a dream, while in many towns of Kosova the deserters were not seen in previous public places. They were seen with pale faces and it seems that some of their victims have become aware and have avoided them," reads "statement number 001, 17 July 2004" signed by "Colonel R. Miftari".

Following the publication of the Fatherland Security's second statement, in which LDK "deserters" Edita Tahiri (now chairwoman of the newly established Democratic Alternative of Kosovo (ADK)) and Edi Shukriu were threatened, the LDK presidency reacted, denying the existence of the organization and the LDK's connections with it.

"We believe that such statements aim at smearing the LDK's name, image and political culture; they have a certain political goal and they aim at destabilizing the processes on the verge of the national election," reads the LDK presidency's statement.

According to the Kosovar "CIA", it is absurd to ask ordinary members of the LDK about this organization.

"It is absurd and unprofessional if everyone inside the LDK or its presidency were to have access to Fatherland Security, because we are secret, whereas the LDK is public and all the people of Kosova are part of it. We oversee LDK activity, and not vice versa," reads Fatherland Security's statement.

They asserted that nobody has the right to deny them the right to protect independence, and, as said in the statement, also President (Ibrahim) Rugova.

"We have the blessing of Kosova President Ibrahim Rugova and we publicly swore before the grave of the hero of independent Kosova, Colonel Tahir Zemaj, and we were transparent only during his funeral. Our presence at this funeral terrified the leftist killers. We remind you that since our appearance, there have been no political killings in Kosova," reads the Fatherland Security statement.

Regarding Fatherland Security's claims that it has President Rugova's blessing, Koha Ditore tried to contact presidency spokesperson Muhamet Hamiti, but without any results. Even after the second statement issued on Tuesday, Koha Ditore asked for the Kosova presidency's position on this matter. The presidency requested us to send questions via email, but Koha Ditore has not received any responses so far.

Source: Koha Ditore, Pristina, in Albanian 18 Jul 04 p 3

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