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Kosovar War Vets Force Albanian PM To Cancel Visit


Protests against the arrest of former KLA commander Fatmir Limaj in Gjurgjica forced the Albanian prime minister to cancel his visit.
Protests against the arrest of former KLA commander Fatmir Limaj in Gjurgjica forced the Albanian prime minister to cancel his visit.
Protesting Kosovar war veterans disrupted plans for Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha to attend a ceremony to open the new Pristina-Tirana highway.

Several hundred veterans, most from the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), occupied the stage at an opening ceremony on November 27 in the Kosovar town of Gjurgjica. They were demanding the release of former KLA commander Fatmir Limaj from detention.

Limaj was charged in 2009 with ordering the killing of two Serb captives and torturing another during the 1998-99 war in Kosovo.

He was acquitted, but Kosovo's Supreme Court ordered a retrial. Limaj was taken into custody on November 24.

A helicopter carrying Berisha turned back after hearing about the protest.

Kosovar Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, who was also scheduled to attend the opening, did not show up.

Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa

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