Kosovo President Hashim Thaci announced on Thursday that he would be stepping down from his post to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity at The Hague, after his indictment was confirmed by a pre-trial judge at the Kosovo Specialist Chamber. Thaci said that it was essential he does so, in order to protect the office of the presidency.
“I will not allow under any circumstances that I appear before the court as the president of the Republic of Kosovo. Therefore, in order to protect the integrity of the office of the president and the country, as well as the dignity of the citizens, I resign from the position of president of the Republic of Kosovo,” Thaci told a press conference in Pristina. He also noted that the head of Kosovo’s parliament, Vjosa Osmani, would serve as the interim president until a new one is elected.
Thaci was a guerilla leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army during the 1998-99 war against Serbia, which ultimately granted Kosovo its de-facto independence. The Kosovo Specialist Chamber, a special tribunal at The Hague, was set up to try alleged war crimes during the conflict, and Thaci was indicted in June on 10 counts, with prosecutors accusing him and other former independence fighters of being “criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders.”
They also said that the existence of the indictment was made public due to “repeated efforts” by Thaci and others to “obstruct the work of the court in an attempt to ensure that they do not face justice.” Other charges include enforced disappearances, persecution, and torture, though exact details have not been released yet. Thaci is also not the only one facing these charges. Former parliament speaker Kadri Veseli, former interim president Jakup Krasniqi, and opposition lawmaker Rexhep Selimi’s indictments have been confirmed as well.
Though Thaci had previously denied the allegations, he had vowed to step down if the charges were confirmed. His office did not make any additional remarks on the matter; however, Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti’s office said in a statement that “the Kosovo Liberation Army fought for the liberation of our country” and that “no one can judge our struggle for freedom”.
More than 130,000 people died in the Kosovo conflict, mostly Kosovar Albanians killed by Serbian forces. The fighting ended after a 78-day NATO air campaign in 1999 that forced Serbian troops to retreat. Serbia still rejects Kosovo’s independence.
Kosovo President Thaci Resigns to Face War Crimes Trial at The Hague
His indictment was confirmed by a pre-trial judge at the Kosovo Specialist Chamber.
November 6, 2020
Kosovo President Hashim Thaci SOURCE: THE WASHINGTON POST