Acting Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has made public for the first time a letter he sent in 2022 to Ekaterina Trendafilova, the President of the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, in which he called for the release of the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
The letter’s publication coincides with the fifth anniversary of the arrest of former KLA commanders — Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi, and Rexhep Selimi — who remain in pre-trial detention at The Hague.
Kurti emphasized that there are no legal or moral reasons for their continued detention and offered state guarantees to ensure their conditional release, noting that Kosovo Police could supervise house arrest if required.
“There is no legal or moral justification for keeping these men in custody,” Kurti wrote, stressing that Kosovo possesses all the institutional guarantees needed for their conditional release.
He added that he has been working quietly but consistently on this issue, stating that “the most effective work is done without noise,” and that his requests remain valid even today.
Key Excerpts from Kurti’s Letter
Kurti’s letter, addressed to Judge Trendafilova on the International Day of Peace, reflects both concern and frustration with the functioning of the Specialist Chambers:
“While we mark the International Day of Peace, we are reminded of all that our country has endured — and what it continues to strive for: peace, freedom, equality, unity, truth, and justice,” Kurti wrote.
He urged the court to recontextualize the indictments within the real framework of the Kosovo war, highlighting that atrocities committed by Serbian forces — such as those in Prekaz, Meja, and Račak — remain unaddressed.
“If the Special Chambers were established to deal with war crimes, then why have the horrific crimes committed by Serbia not been investigated?” Kurti asked.
Kurti also criticized what he described as the mono-ethnic focus of the court and questioned the link between the indictments and the Dick Marty report, claiming that the current prosecutions lack connection to that report — the original justification for the court’s creation.
On the issue of pre-trial detention, Kurti described the suffering of the detainees and their families as “torturous”, due to the long detention period and the bureaucratic difficulties families face in visiting their loved ones in The Hague.
“We believe the accused could return home while awaiting trial. The Kosovo Police can ensure strict oversight of any conditional release,” Kurti assured.
The Prime Minister concluded his letter by expressing hope that the court would handle his request “with the same seriousness with which it was written — out of concern for justice, the people, and the families affected.”
