Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has sharply criticized the Hague Prosecutor’s Office after it requested 45-year prison sentences for former commanders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
Rama described the prosecution’s request as akin to a “burial while still alive” for the four men and expressed disbelief at the reasoning behind the request.
“I cannot express myself properly, as I am still trying to find the logic followed by the prosecution in coming up with a request for a burial while still alive for these four men… I need time to digest the mountain of nonsense issued today by that prosecution in the heart of democratic Europe,” Rama wrote.
The prosecution requested the 45-year sentences for Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity. According to Chief Prosecutor Kimberly West, the request was based on the individual contributions of each defendant to the crimes, and she emphasized the seriousness of the charges, noting that they remain significant despite the passage of time.
West added that this was her first closing statement in a trial, describing it as the largest case handled by the Special Court to date. She also highlighted the court’s success in functioning under conditions of intimidation and ensuring that the truth is heard.
