Although the trial of the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK) was scheduled to continue on Monday, the Specialist Chambers in The Hague have postponed the hearings to November.
“The cancellation of the hearings from October 27 to 30 was made for practical and logistical reasons. The next session is scheduled for November 3, 2025,” the court stated in its official response.
According to the court’s updated calendar, following the postponement of four October sessions, 16 hearings are now planned for November and another eight for December, before the winter recess begins.
The Deputy Head of the Organization of KLA Veterans, Fatmir Sopi, criticized the delays, saying such postponements are nothing new. However, he expressed serious concern over the court’s refusal to admit defense evidence presented by Jakup Krasniqi’s legal team regarding Serbian crimes in Kosovo.
“This clearly shows that the court has taken sides — always favoring the prosecution,” Sopi told RTK. “It’s shameful for the court to consider irrelevant the evidence about crimes committed by the Serbian occupiers in Kosovo, when thousands of civilians — children, women, and the elderly — were killed, persecuted, or massacred.”
Legal expert Ardian Bajraktari suggested that the first-instance verdict for Hashim Thaçi and other defendants could be expected early next year, but he also criticized the rejection of Kosovo’s evidence.
“This shows not only the prosecution’s bias but also the court’s lack of will to reach the truth about what happened in 1998–99,” Bajraktari said. “The rejected evidence would have helped establish who actually committed war crimes — which, as is well known, were the Serbian authorities who ordered and executed numerous massacres.”
During November, the fifth defense witness for Thaçi is expected to testify. Meanwhile, following protests in Pristina, The Hague, and Tirana, organizers have announced that another demonstration will be held soon in a major European capital as a sign of continued opposition to the court and its handling of the case.
