Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has said that Albania will continue to stand by Kosovo following the first-instance verdict by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague against four former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders.
Speaking to members of the Albanian community in Michigan, Rama said Albania could not determine Kosovo’s response to the judgment, but would remain alongside Kosovo as its institutions decide how to proceed.
“Albania cannot do anything more than stand by Kosovo, but they must decide to do everything to overturn that decision against those four men,” Rama said, according to Shqiptarja.
His comments came five days after the Specialist Chambers issued its first-instance judgment on September 16.
Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi and former KLA political leader Jakup Krasniqi were each sentenced to 25 years in prison, while former KLA commander Kadri Veseli received 18 years and former KLA commander Rexhep Selimi 13 years.
The trial panel found all four defendants guilty of certain war crimes, while acquitting them of the charges of crimes against humanity included in the indictment.
The defense teams have announced that they will appeal the first-instance judgment.
Rama has previously commented publicly on the Specialist Chambers proceedings and the verdict, reiterating Albania’s support for Kosovo following the ruling.
