Professor Edward P. Joseph of Johns Hopkins University described as shocking the decision of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, which sentenced former KLA leaders Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi, and Rexhep Selimi to a combined 81 years in prison.
In an interview with ABC News’ “War Report,” Joseph said that Serbia would use the verdict to discredit the KLA and its activities.
Joseph added that Serbia and its allies, Russia and China, would seek to further isolate Kosovo.
“This will be used by Serbia as a tool to discredit the KLA and its activities. It will also be used by Russia and China. They will seek to isolate Kosovo even further. We have seen this month in Serbia the glorification of the image of this figure; we have witnessed ceremonies and the use of hateful rhetoric in Belgrade. We have seen how long-lasting the consequences have been. The sentence is not comparable to those handed down to Serbian figures who committed crimes,” he said.
