James Rubin, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, testified in The Hague that Hashim Thaçi did not have authority over UÇK commanders and could not make operational military decisions. Rubin emphasized that Thaçi had no knowledge of alleged war crimes, portraying him as a political figure without executive control.
Thaçi, along with Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi, and Rexhep Selimi, is on trial before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 1998–1999 conflict, accusations they have firmly denied.
Local Reactions:
- Memli Krasniqi, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, praised Rubin’s testimony as a “clear, fact-based statement validating the justice of our liberation struggle” and reaffirmed Kosovo’s enduring alliance with the United States in overcoming historical injustices.
- Agon Maliqi, political analyst, described Rubin’s testimony as an important historical document, stating it dismantles the prosecution’s narrative of a centralized UÇK command responsible for systematic crimes. According to Maliqi, Rubin highlighted the decentralized and chaotic nature of UÇK operations, contextualized within the existential threat posed by Serbian forces, and noted that some allegations were propaganda from Belgrade.
- Lulëzim Peci, director of KIPRED, framed Rubin’s testimony as more than a legal statement, calling it a “first-hand public lecture on modern Kosovo history, the visionary leadership of the Albanian people, and the UÇK’s struggle for independence.”
Rubin’s testimony is seen as pivotal for the defense, clarifying that Thaçi needed approval from local commanders for significant decisions, and corroborating that UÇK’s leadership structure was not organized to carry out systematic crimes.
The trial of the four former UÇK leaders began in 2023, and further witnesses are expected to testify in favor of the defense in the coming days.
