Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said he raised concerns during his recent visit to the United States about the first-instance judgment against four former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.
Kurti described the judgment as “legally and morally unjust, and historically and factually inaccurate,” and said he expects the alleged shortcomings and injustices to be addressed during the appeals process.
Speaking at a government meeting, Kurti said he discussed the judgment and the issue of people missing from the 1998–99 war in Kosovo during meetings with senior officials and international representatives in the United States.
He also said he had separate meetings with PDK leader Bedri Hamza and LDK leader Lumir Abdixhiku to discuss possible joint actions concerning the judgment and broader institutional and political challenges facing Kosovo.
“We met separately with Bedri Hamza of the PDK and Lumir Abdixhiku of the LDK to discuss joint actions regarding the unjust and serious judgment of September 16, as well as the institutional, political and state challenges ahead,” Kurti said.
Kurti also welcomed the declaration adopted by the Kosovo Assembly with 99 votes in favor on September 28, describing it as a first joint step. The declaration expressed concern over the judgment and called for coordinated legal, institutional and diplomatic action.
“I welcome and support this initial step, while calling for close cooperation among political entities on this matter of state interest, with actions carefully coordinated with the defense teams, so that our decisions do not create situations that could be used against the four former KLA leaders,” Kurti said.
He added that his government would do everything within its power to address and challenge the judgment during the appeals process.
The Kosovo Specialist Chambers’ first-instance judgment, issued on September 16, found Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi criminally responsible for war crimes including unlawful or arbitrary detention, cruel treatment, torture and murder. The judgment is not final and is subject to appeal.
Kurti also spoke about the role of the KLA during the 1998–99 war, saying it emerged in response to repression, killings and massacres and represented, in his view, the people’s struggle for freedom.
