Croatia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has acknowledged the first-instance verdict by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers against former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders, stressing that the ruling is not final and does not alter the historical context of the Kosovo war.
“Croatia takes note of the first-instance judgment of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. This is a non-final judgment, and we do not wish to prejudge the final outcome of the proceedings,” the ministry said in an official statement.
At the same time, Zagreb said the verdict should be viewed within the broader historical context of the conflicts in the region and the repression suffered by Kosovo’s population under the regime of Slobodan Milošević.
“The judgment does not change the historical context of the wars in Kosovo, nor the fact that Kosovo and its population were victims of repression and grave crimes committed by the Milošević regime,” the Croatian Foreign Ministry said.
Croatia also stressed the principle of individual criminal responsibility, arguing that findings against specific individuals should not be used to reinterpret the broader historical record of the conflict.
“The individual responsibility of certain persons cannot serve as a basis for relativizing these crimes, nor for questioning the freedom and independence of Kosovo,” the ministry said.
The statement comes after the Specialist Chambers issued its first-instance judgment in the case against former KLA leaders Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi.
Croatia emphasized that the proceedings are not yet concluded and that the final outcome will depend on the judicial process and any subsequent appeals.
