Kosovo, Albania criticize verdict in Thaci war crimes case while France backs tribunal

Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci sentenced to 25 years for war crimes including murder, torture, and arbitrary detention

Kosovo and Albania on Wednesday criticized a war crimes verdict against former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, while France reiterated its support for the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, which gave Thaci a 25-year prison sentence. Kosovo Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca, who attended the proceedings in The Hague, called the verdict “unfair” and “undeserved,” calling it a “sad” decision for Kosovo and its liberation war. Konjufca also questioned the basis of the indictment and criticized the use of materials from Serbia, according to Kosovo-based news website Telegrafi. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama also weighed in on US social media platform Facebook, writing “Marre,” meaning “shame,” and shared an image of Europe surrounded by barbed wire. France said it took note of the decision and reiterated its support for the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and its commitment to combating impunity. The French Foreign Ministry said the decision was subject to appeal and marked the conclusion of first-instance trials before the chambers, except for cases concerning offenses against the administration of justice. France also reaffirmed its “constant support” for Kosovo's independence and institutions. The chambers sentenced Thaci to 25 years in prison after finding him guilty of crimes including murder, torture, cruel treatment, and arbitrary detention committed during the 1998-99 Kosovo conflict. Former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi were also convicted. Veseli was sentenced to 18 years, while Selimi and Krasniqi got 13 and 25 years, respectively. All four defendants had pleaded not guilty. Thaci served as Kosovo's prime minister from 2008 to 2014 and president from 2016 to 2020. He resigned as president in 2020 after the indictment was confirmed.