Kosovo Leaders Rally Against War Crimes Convictions

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Kosovo on Thursday in the largest protest to date against the recent war crimes convictions of four former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The verdicts, handed down by a court in The Hague, Netherlands, have ignited daily protests across the Balkan nation.

Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and three other former KLA commanders were found guilty of war crimes committed during the 1998-99 war for independence from Serbia. They received sentences ranging from 13 to 25 years in prison.

Kosovo's government and citizens have criticized the verdicts, asserting that the KLA fought against Serbian oppression and that the ruling could tarnish the country's struggle for independence. Protesters in the capital, Pristina, carried banners reading “not in my name” and praised the KLA as a liberation movement. Some expressed disappointment with the European Union for backing the court.

The conflict in Kosovo resulted in the deaths of over 13,000 people, primarily ethnic Albanians, and displaced approximately 1 million ethnic Albanian Kosovars. NATO airstrikes against Serbian forces ultimately led to Belgrade's withdrawal from Kosovo, which was then a Serbian province.

In a rare display of unity, Kosovo's lawmakers unanimously condemned the war crimes verdicts. The opposition has proposed legislation to limit the mandate of the Hague-based court, known as the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.

During European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's visit to Pristina, protesters blocked a road near the airport. Von der Leyen stated at a news conference that the verdicts were delivered by independent judicial institutions and their mandate must be respected. She added that "Nothing and nobody can rewrite Kosovo’s history."

Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who recently took office, acknowledged that the verdicts contain errors and expressed expectations for correction on appeal. The protests have occurred amidst an ongoing political crisis in Kosovo, marked by a deadlock that has prevented the election of a president and led to two early elections. Kurti faces a deadline in early October to secure a deal on the next president or face another early election.