Member of the steering council of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Gani Koci has threatened a number of journalists and politicians.
In two social media posts on Friday, Koci put up a photo featuring the journalists and politicians, calling them “Serbian septic tanks” that need to be “covered up with concrete”.
“Time has come not to disinfect, but to close these Serbian septic tanks that remain in Kosovo. They are stinking a lot,” he wrote on Facebook.
Koci included a photo of the following journalists and politicians among others: Vjosa Osmani, Speaker of the Kosovo Parliament, Albin Kurti, former Prime Minister, Haki Abazi, former deputy Prime Minister, Veton Surroi, publicist, Shkelzen Gashi, former advisor to Kurti, Jeta Xharra, executive director of BIRN Kosovo, Rron Gjinovci, activist, Jusuf Buxhovi, historian, Vetevendosje MPs Fitore Pacolli, Fatmire Kollcaku, Arberie Nagavci, and former MPs Drita Millaku and Ilir Deda.
The post was quickly removed but Koci wrote a second one, claiming that Vetevendosje activists had deleted the post.
“UDBA members [Yugoslavia’s secret service] from Vetevendosje deleted the post that I made about Serbian septic tanks that remain in Kosovo. Not only must they be disinfected but one must cover them with concrete! They are stinking too much!” he wrote.
Koci has also been a deputy economic minister, representing the party of President Hashim Thaci and its current leader Kadri Veseli. The party was formed by former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) members under the leadership of Thaci.
Thaci and Veseli are both indicted by the Kosovo Specialist Prosecutor’s Office for war crimes. They and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama have claimed that indictments against individuals will harm the legacy of KLA war and Kosovo’s statehood.
Public figures threatened by Koci have been critical of the PDK.
