The verdict by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers against former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) is already being used by Serbia as part of its political and diplomatic campaign against Kosovo. Belgrade is not treating the ruling solely as a judicial development, but is placing it at the center of its diplomatic discourse, presenting it as support for a narrative it has promoted for years against the KLA and Kosovo. Serbian officials have publicly framed the verdict as confirmation of longstanding Serbian claims, while political analysts warn that Belgrade could use the ruling to intensify its lobbying against Kosovo internationally.
The verdict against four former KLA leaders is expected to become another element of Serbia’s diplomatic offensive against Kosovo.
Belgrade has already incorporated the ruling into its political messaging, portraying it as support for claims Serbia has made for years regarding the KLA and Kosovo. Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić described the judgment as “legal proof,” while President Aleksandar Vučić linked it to Serbia’s claims concerning crimes committed against Serbs in Kosovo.
Against this backdrop, university professors and political analysts argue that the consequences of the ruling could extend beyond the judicial process and be used by Belgrade on the international stage.
Political analyst Dritëro Arifi said Serbia and Russia could use the verdict in international forums to construct a political narrative against Kosovo and NATO’s intervention.
“Even the European Union is not aware of the long-term effect this decision could produce. It is therefore not merely a legal decision, but a purely political one, because Russia and Serbia will argue at every bilateral and multilateral meeting and in every international organization that NATO bombed an independent country based on a ‘joint criminal enterprise’. Consequently, do we also have a state created by that ‘joint criminal enterprise’?” Arifi said.
University professor Emrush Thaçi said Belgrade has already entered a new phase of its campaign against Kosovo’s international recognitions, while political developments in Serbia could give the issue an additional domestic electoral dimension.
“It begins with a campaign saying that we will engage in efforts to withdraw recognitions meaning to persuade some states to revoke their recognition, particularly those where we believe we have influence and hope. I do not have much faith in this, but Kosovo’s diplomacy, Kosovo’s politics, the Kosovo government and the political parties especially all of them together must mobilize. This is the moment to join forces and not to see one another as enemies. They may be political opponents, but not enemies, because they all have one goal above all: the state of Kosovo,” Thaçi said.
The verdict is not final and remains subject to appeal. The Trial Panel convicted Hashim Thaçi, Jakup Krasniqi, Kadri Veseli and Rexhep Selimi of war crimes including unlawful or arbitrary arrest and detention, cruel treatment, torture and murder, while acquitting all four on the six counts of crimes against humanity.
According to the professors cited, therefore, Kosovo’s challenge following the verdict is not solely judicial.
The ruling has already become part of political statements coming from Belgrade and could become another instrument in Serbia’s diplomatic campaign toward Kosovo.
