Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti has strongly criticized the Hague prosecution’s request for 45-year prison sentences for former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders, arguing that the demand does not align with internationally accepted sentencing standards and ignores the broader historical and political context of the Kosovo war.
Kurti said that attempts to separate individual actions from the historical circumstances of the conflict risk distorting the truth and meaning of the war.
Kurti Defends KLA’s Role
According to Kurti, the KLA represented a defensive and protective force during a period he described as brutal occupation, when systemic violence was escalating toward what he characterized as state-driven genocide.
“The KLA carried out a just war, one that was protective and defensive. It took place under conditions of harsh occupation when apartheid-like violence was turning into state genocide,” Kurti stated.
He further emphasized that Kosovo never had any plan to exterminate another population or target civilians, warning that removing individual actions from their political and historical context could undermine understanding of the conflict.
Commitment to Protect Historical Narrative and Justice
Kurti said Kosovo’s institutions will continue to defend the factual and historical truth, as well as the value and dignity of the war for freedom, while opposing what he described as attempts to distort these principles.
“The Republic of Kosovo remains firm in its conviction that the KLA fought a just war and represented an anti-colonial uprising,” Kurti added.
Prosecution Seeks 45-Year Sentences
The Hague-based Specialist Prosecutor’s Office has requested 45-year prison sentences for former KLA leaders Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi, and Jakup Krasniqi, seeking convictions on all counts listed in the indictment.
Chief Prosecutor Kimberly West stated that the prosecution is seeking sentencing based on individual criminal responsibility, not institutional accountability.
“The prosecution seeks conviction of specific individuals for all counts of the indictment, based on their individual contributions. These crimes include war crimes and crimes against humanity, and they remain extremely serious regardless of the passage of time,” West said during her closing statement.
West described the case as the largest handled by the court and emphasized the prosecution’s efforts to ensure that witness intimidation does not prevent the truth from being heard.
