Glauk Konjufca, Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, has stated that Kosovo has provided the maximum possible institutional and financial support to former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK) currently facing war crimes trials in The Hague, expressing confidence that prosecutors will fail to prove the charges with factual evidence.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the final court sessions, Konjufca emphasized that the government has continuously coordinated its actions with defense teams representing the accused.
Government Support and Comparisons with Croatia
Konjufca said Kosovo has allocated substantial resources to support the legal defense of the accused, suggesting that comparisons could be made with Croatia’s financial support for its generals during their international trials.
“Kosovo has done its best in terms of funding. One can compare this with the Croatian state and the official figures of how they concluded the defense of their generals,” Konjufca said, as reported by Reporteri.net.
Claims the Indictment Targets the Legacy of the War
The senior diplomat argued that the charges brought by the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office go beyond individual responsibility and instead seek to challenge the legitimacy of Kosovo’s liberation struggle.
“This is not simply about individuals; it concerns the very foundation of our freedom, which is the war of the UÇK. That war is being distorted and attributed with something entirely different,” he stated.
Konjufca insisted that Kosovo’s institutions have a responsibility to defend what he described as the liberation character of the war, rejecting allegations that the UÇK operated as a joint criminal enterprise.
Continuous Consultation with Defense Teams
Addressing earlier discussions about possible oversight mechanisms, Konjufca said that all state decisions regarding the process were taken in constant consultation with defense lawyers, stressing that Kosovo avoided unilateral actions without legal agreement from the defense.
“Everything that has been done or not done so far has been carried out in continuous consultation with the defense teams. We did not want to act without their full consent as a state,” he said.
Call for Unity Ahead of Final Decision
Konjufca described the upcoming stage of the trial as a decisive moment, urging national unity similar to recent public demonstrations held in Prishtina.
He reiterated his belief that prosecutors have relied on political statements rather than concrete evidence.
“I am strongly convinced that the prosecution will not be able to prove anything with facts. Political declarations are something else,” Konjufca said, calling some prosecution claims “scandalous.”
Hope for Professional Judicial Outcome
The deputy prime minister concluded by expressing hope that judges will deliver a professional verdict, predicting that dismissal of the charges would allow former UÇK leaders to return to Kosovo after years of legal proceedings.
“I sincerely hope the court will make a professional decision. If the indictment points are rejected, the UÇK leaders will return to a free Kosovo, relieved of this burden,” Konjufca stated.
