Demaçi: " Rugova's politics is outdated"!

Prishtina, 14 August (ARTA) 1800CET--

After the official response of Adem Demaçi to the offer of KLA General headquarters was published, in the interview given to "Koha Ditore", Demaçi speaks about what is and what is not acceptable for the Albanian political scene, about Rugova's negotiating group, the Coalition Government, etc.

Initially, Demaçi gives the details of his official response:

Demaçi: Just recently I have sent my official statement as a response to the KLA General Headquarters. I think that there is no time for running away from responsibilities, but it is the time to take them and fulfil our duties, according to our tasks and possibilities, which are posed to us by the historical momentum.

Therefore, I have taken this duty with great satisfaction, and with a great satisfaction I can say that the foundations have been established, which combined with the persistence of Albanian nation, (which is expressed through the determination and the will of the KLA to combat the state terror of Belgrade's regime) and the readiness of the Albanian politics to engage in finding the optimal, democratic, peaceful and civilized solutions. Only thus, I believe, we will manage to solve the problem properly and in the interest of the three parties (the Albanian people, Serbs, and International Community) in the spirit of the decisions, which emerged from the Kosova Albanian referendum, held in September 1991.

KD: So, you are definitely giving up your party activities?

Demaçi: I'm not only giving them up, but I was pleased with the demand of these youngsters and fighters for freedom. This is a very strong argument, which testifies that our fighters won't subjugate to any ideology or political group, and that they are prepared and ready to be the soldiers of the free, equal and democratic citizens. In this way they will safeguard the state, the constitution, the laws and human rights, and will be a modern army similar with the other armies of the world. This is the best explanation for political stability over the entire European states, because the Army knows its duty and allows the politicians to deal with the questions of the government. However, the affairs of security and welfare of the people belong to the Army and Police.

KD: Some time ago you offered to be KLA's political representative under the condition that KLA accept "Balkania".... What happened with it now ?

Demaçi: "Balkania" was my private project and it had the support of my party . Since KLA is the expression of the people's will, I am obliged to engage for the complementation and fulfillment of the decisions of the 1991 referendum.

KD: Does your engagement imply the acceptation of the Coalition Government?

Demaçi: No, We can not enter the Coalition Government, because as you know , KLA and I, as well as many Albanians, do not recognize 22 March elections. We don't recognize its results.

We do not think that the problems could be solved with fictions, if it is to be accepted that there is a president, then the existence of the state has to be accepted too; if this is the case, then we have to ask what is that state doing; if the Parliament is accepted, then its decisions has to be seen... All these things are connected to each other, and we have all these things only on paper. I respect Rugova for his well-intentioned efforts to achieve the freedom of this people with peaceful means, but this policy proved incapable to force the Serb regime to stop the repression in Kosova. Dealing with politics and avoiding the fact that KLA is the main and the most important factor, and on the other hand, declare as the main policy the one that has scored only failures, then this means that personal interests are more important than the general ones, and such a policy is dedicated to fail. Therefore, I cannot be engaged in any project where Rugova takes part, because he makes the cooperation impossible. In

addition, the Coalition Government is a failed concept, merely because of this reason.

KD: Thus, you don't want to participate in the negotiations?

Demaçi: I have no intention to be part of a negotiating group with Rugova or his other groups. They give no guarantees for finding a solution.

KD: If Rugova starts the conversations and, on the other hand, he appoints the Government of Kosova, what would you do then?

Demaçi: We have no intention to prevent Rugova or to take over his apparatus. Whoever wishes can get involved in conversations, and we can't nor do we want to cause any obstacles. However, we believe that Rugova, since he has not the support of the main force in Kosova, will not succeed and I believe that those who have supported and continue supporting Rugova will realize that this is no solution.

KD: Then, what are your plans?

Demaçi: My plan is to make great efforts, to consult people, to talk to Albanians, Serbs, Americans and Europeans and with all those that we must talk to, so we can approximate the three factors that are key for the solution of the Kosova problem: the Serb regime, as the generator of the conflict in Kosova that is trying to impose its solution of subjugation and capitulation, the KLA which with its heroic will is successfully fighting in order to prevent the application of a capitulating policy and the last factor, the international community, led by the USA, which is more advanced than the European countries.

Therefore, we will try to convince our friends that Rugova's politics is overcome. Now, new conditions for a new politics have been created, for a new support, to give up on the many compromises that USA and Europe are making respectively and which the Albanian people is paying. We must make the big power, as USA is, to get engaged in a creative and constructive way, with all its potential, for finding a solution that would be accordance with the will of the Albanian people.