Preparations for the League of Nations match between Kosovo and the Republic of Ireland have attracted the attention of the Irish media, which, in addition to football, have extensively reported on the atmosphere in the capital and the protests after the decision of the Specialized Chambers in The Hague against the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army.
Journalist David Sneyd of “The 42”, in a report from Pristina, describes the contrast between the sports atmosphere and political developments.
He starts the story from “Mother Teresa” Boulevard, where the Irish fans mingled with the citizens in a quiet environment, enjoying cafes, ice creams and traditional foods, while some of them were waiting for the match near the “Fadil Vokrri” stadium.
Sneyd notes that the casual atmosphere of the city juxtaposes with the tension of the protests taking place just yards away.
A large part of the reportage is devoted to the protests after the decision against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selim and Jakup Krasniqi. The journalist describes KLA flags, banners with messages such as “Not in my name”, “Bring them home” and “Freedom has a name”, as well as giant posters with photos of former KLA leaders located in the main square.
Sneyd mentions two men walking on the boulevard, one wearing a T-shirt identifying himself as a KLA veteran and the other with the KLA emblem and photographs of its four former leaders.
Channel 10 journalist Diona Krasniqi is quoted as saying that the protests are expected to be peaceful: “It will be peaceful, no one is doing anything wrong, we are just protesting for our people.”
Sneyd also reports on a group of about 100 children marching down the boulevard chanting “KLA”, some wearing Cristiano Ronaldo T-shirts, others with KLA symbols and Thaci’s photo.
He describes the scene where children passed by the statue of Mother Teresa and the sculpture of an open book, while the red and black flags of the KLA and the Albanian national flags waved along the road.
Sneyd presents the Kosovo-Ireland match not only as a sporting event, but as a meeting that takes place at a time when Pristina is filled with symbols of protest and political messages. He notes the contrast between Irish fans enjoying the city’s atmosphere and protesters demanding justice for former KLA leaders.
Kosovo and Ireland will face each other at the “Fadil Vokrri” stadium in Group B3 of the League of Nations, in a match that, beyond sports, also reflects the political and social reality of the Kosovar capital.
