A prosecutor in The Hague has indicted Kosovar President Hashim Thaci, former parliamentary chairman Kadri Veseli, and “8 others” for wrongdoings allegedly committed during or after the Kosovo’s 1998-1999 liberation war with Serbia. According to Albin Kurti, last elected PM of Kosovo as well as a strong political opponent of Thaci, these intentional accusations discredit Kosovo’s reputation and the resistance of the people of Kosovo. He said his party made efforts that the trial shall be held in Kosovo by its institutions.
“I do not know if the situation is deliberate on the eve of the negotiations to begin in Washington, but the liberation war of the KLA is a just war and that was a war against an aggressor and occupier who had committed genocide in our country and these freedom fighters, KLA veterans and invalids are also politically and historically in their full right,” stated former PM Kurti. Kurti said that Kosovo should have its own independent and impartial judiciary to investigate, try, and punish all war crimes…especially those caused by Serbia in Kosovo.
“It goes without saying that the indictment damages Kosovo’s reputation. I believe in the innocence of the KLA and I think Kosovo should have its own independent and impartial judiciary to investigate and condemn war crimes and above all, those that were caused by Serbia in Kosovo,” said the leader of the Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) party. “The day after tomorrow, the 5th year of the failure of amending Article 24 of the Constitution, which led to the establishment of the Special Court, the sui-generis legal structure, ends. 5 years ago, on August 3, Article 24 was amended by lawmakers, despite great reactions. What we are seeing today is a new consequence of old mistakes,” added Kurti.
Following the announcement of the indictment, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has canceled his visit to Washington, where a meeting with Serbian officials at the White House was scheduled for June 27. The court’s exclusive mandate is to prosecute individual members of the Kosovo Liberation Army for suspected crimes committed during and shortly after the brutal conflict with the Serbian forces of Slobodan Milosevic, and to bring a measure of justice to the victims and their families.
Another of the most negative aspects of this court is a War Crimes Tribunal founded on ethnically specific justice (established only to judge Albanian KLA fighters)
Source: Adriatic Report
Esma BUNJAKU
