William Walker, former head of the OSCE Verification Mission in Kosovo, reflected on his encounters with Slobodan Milošević, the former Yugoslav president widely known as the “Butcher of the Balkans”. Speaking at Reporting House in Pristina, Walker described his tense exchanges with Milošević and their final confrontation at The Hague.
Milošević Denied Reality in Kosovo
Walker recalled that Milošević never admitted any wrongdoing or compromised during their discussions.
“He always had four or five advisors with him, but they never spoke. Only he did. I once told him that the vast majority of Kosovo’s population was Albanian, with a small Serbian minority. He immediately dismissed it, saying, ‘You’re wrong, Walker, you’re wrong. There are more Serbs in Kosovo than Albanians.’”
Walker explained that Milošević ignored all facts and dominated conversations, refusing to acknowledge the ethnic reality of Kosovo.
Their Final Confrontation at The Hague
When Walker met Milošević at The Hague Tribunal in 2002-2003, the power dynamic had shifted.
“Instead of being surrounded by advisors, he was a defendant. We sat across from each other, speaking through simultaneous translation. He treated the court the same way he treated me—dismissing my testimony as lies and jumping from topic to topic.”
“One of My Proudest Moments”
Walker described his courtroom confrontation with Milošević as one of the greatest moments of his career.
“It was one of my proudest moments to face that war criminal and tell him the truth to his face. That doesn’t happen often in this world. I had hoped he would live a long life—behind bars.”
Milošević died in 2006 while on trial for war crimes and genocide, before a verdict could be reached.
