Kosovo Assembly Speaker and Acting President Albulena Haxhiu has called for a state-level strategy following the first-instance verdict by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague against former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders.
In an exclusive interview with RTV Dukagjini, Haxhiu said Kosovo should focus on preparing for the possibility that the charge of joint criminal enterprise could also be dismissed.
“This essentially concerns the KLA,” Haxhiu said.
She described the first-instance ruling as unjust and extremely serious for Kosovo, particularly for the families and children who have lived with the consequences of the proceedings.
“The KLA was formed because of the oppression, repression, violence, killings, expulsions and poisoning that occurred before the war,” Haxhiu said, recalling the period of conflict and repression in Kosovo.
Haxhiu also said the verdict has a personal dimension for her, noting that her father, husband and members of her husband’s family were involved with the KLA.
“I consider it an unjust decision, a very serious decision for the Republic of Kosovo,” she said.
She identified the joint criminal enterprise allegation as a particular concern and said it remains unclear what position the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office will take regarding the charges that were dismissed.
“We do not know what the position of the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office will be regarding the charges that have fallen. Therefore, it is very important to prepare for the possibility that the charge of joint criminal enterprise will also fall,” Haxhiu said.
Haxhiu stressed that Kosovo should develop a coordinated state strategy in response to the verdict and the ongoing legal proceedings.
