The conviction of Hashim Thaci, the former President of Kosovo, and three former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) for war crimes by the special court in The Hague was met with deep shock and disappointment in Pristina. Thousands of citizens gathered in the main square of the capital of Kosovo, waving KLA flags to follow the announcement of the verdict live.
Public and Political Reactions
After the announcement of the verdict, the crowd fell silent and then began chanting for justice and support for the four defendants. Some citizens attempted to break parts of the wall surrounding the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). Kosovo police and special units quickly intervened to prevent further damage and incidents.
Kosovo's Foreign Minister, Glauk Konjufca, who was present at the court during the announcement of the verdict, described the conviction as "a terrible judgment for Kosovo" and considered it "a significant blow to the government and the domestic narrative." He added: "Kosovo experienced war, and we know what the KLA war was, and there was no criminal mechanism to harm any population. This is a sad and unjust decision."
Conviction and Consequences
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti called the verdict "an unacceptable injustice" and said: "The conviction and such a severe punishment for the four former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army is a major and harmful penalty."
The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), which was founded by Hashim Thaci and other KLA leaders after the war, deemed the verdict "unjust and unacceptable" and emphasized that "the struggle for justice continues." The party also stated that the rights of our people who fought for their freedom and survival have been seriously harmed. They claimed that the evidence and accusations presented were fabricated and promoted by Serbian state agencies.
The conviction of Thaci and his three associates came after more than three years since the trial began and nearly six years since the four defendants were charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. While the panel of judges dismissed the charges of crimes against humanity, the four were convicted of war crimes against civilians and political opponents who did not support the KLA.
Hashim Thaci, who was accused of war crimes during his presidency, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Additionally, Jakup Krasniqi, who served as the spokesperson for the KLA, was also sentenced to the same amount. Kadri Veseli, who headed the KLA intelligence service during the war, was sentenced to 18 years in prison, and Rexhep Selimi, who was the head of the KLA military police inspection, was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
The defense lawyers for these individuals announced that they would appeal the verdict. The special courts of Kosovo, established by the Kosovo Assembly in 2015, exclusively handle cases related to allegations of crimes committed by KLA members during the Kosovo war.
