Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said Serbia and Russia are likely to try to use the Kosovo Specialist Chambers’ judgment against Kosovo following the conviction of four former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders, but argued that doing so would not be straightforward.
Kurti made the remarks at a press conference following a government meeting, where he also spoke about how Kosovo should respond through public diplomacy. He called for a coordinated campaign to present Kosovo’s position internationally.
According to Kurti, the judgment itself rejected claims concerning the so-called “Yellow House” and alleged organ trafficking, as well as charges of crimes against humanity. He said these findings should form part of Kosovo’s public diplomacy efforts.
“We should undertake a joint campaign in terms of public diplomacy because, naturally, there will be attempts by Serbia and Russia to use the Specialist Chambers’ judgment against the Republic of Kosovo,” Kurti said. He argued that such efforts would face difficulties because the allegations concerning the so-called “Yellow House” and organ trafficking did not become part of the indictment or the judgment.
Kurti also referred to the 2011 report by Council of Europe rapporteur Dick Marty and the subsequent investigation led by US prosecutor Clint Williamson. He said Williamson’s report did not establish the existence of a “Yellow House” or organ trafficking.
Kurti further pointed to the Specialist Chambers’ finding that the prosecution had not proved crimes against humanity, including a widespread or systematic attack against the civilian population. “So the KLA did not do something like that,” Kurti said.
The Specialist Chambers’ first-instance judgment, however, found four former KLA leaders criminally responsible for several war crimes, including arbitrary detention, cruel treatment, torture and murder. The judgment is subject to appeal and is not final.
