THE HAGUE: Ex-Kosovo president Hashim Thaci is to appear Monday before a war crimes court in The Hague to face charges stemming from the 1990s conflict between Kosovo and Serbia.
Thaci, 52, resigned as president Thursday and flew to the Netherlands where he was placed in the detention center of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC), a Kosovo court located in The Hague.
Judges, specialist prosecutor and staff are drawn from the international community.
Thaci and three other defendants have been charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, illegal detention, enforced disappearances and persecution, committed between March 1998 and September 1999, the court said Friday in a statement.
Thaci has pledged to cooperate with the tribunal, which has scheduled his first hearing for 3 p.m. (1400 GMT) Monday.
He was political chief of the rebel Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), which fought Serb forces for the independence of the southern province in a conflict that claimed more than 13,000 lives.
He claims the international system of justice is “rewriting history” and said Thursday he was stepping down as president to “protect the integrity” of the office.
“I believe in truth, reconciliation and the future of our country and society,” he added.
The bitter conflict killed ethnic Albanian Kosovars for the most part, and only ended when a NATO air campaign forced Serb forces to withdraw from what was then one of the country’s provinces.
Top Serbian military and police officials were later convicted of war crimes in other international courts.
But rebel leaders of the KLA — many of whom have gone on to dominate politics in Kosovo — have also been accused of revenge attacks on Serbs, Roma and ethnic Albanian rivals during and after the war.
On Monday, a judge will first ensure “that the rights of the accused, including the right to legal representation, are respected, and that the accused understands the charges,” the court statement said.
The KSC is a temporary court tasked with trying suspects linked to crimes allegedly committed by the KLA.
Before serving as president, Thaci was also prime minister of Kosovo, but he had pledged to step down and face charges if they were confirmed in a formal indictment.
His three co-defendants are former KLA spokesman Jakup Krasniqi, Thaci’s closest political ally Kadri Veseli, and key KLA figure Rexhep Selimi.
In June, KSC prosecutors accused Thaci and others of being “criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders” in addition to other crimes.
Thaci has repeatedly proclaimed his innocence in a war that most Kosovars consider a just liberation struggle against Serbian oppression.
Ex-Kosovo president Thaci set for first war crimes hearing
https://arab.news/gxhhy
Ex-Kosovo president Thaci set for first war crimes hearing
- Thaci was political chief of the rebel Kosovo Liberation Army, which fought Serb forces for the independence
- Thaci and three other defendants have been charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity committed between March 1998 and September 1999
Russia says Ukraine attacked Putin’s home, Kyiv calls this ‘lie’
- Zelensky called Russia’s claim “complete fabrication” designed to derail peace process, suggested Moscow was preparing to intensify bombardment of Ukraine
KYIV: Russia accused Ukraine on Monday of having fired dozens of drones at one of President Vladimir Putin’s homes, an accusation that Ukraine called a “lie” aimed at undermining US-led efforts to end the war.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who does not typically announce drone strikes, said Ukraine had fired “91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles” at Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region between late Sunday and early Monday, all of which were shot down.
“Given the complete degeneration of the criminal Kyiv regime, which has shifted to a policy of state terrorism, Russia’s negotiating position will be reconsidered,” Lavrov said, without elaborating.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who met with US President Donald Trump on Sunday for talks on ending the war, called Russia’s claim “a complete fabrication” designed to derail the peace process and suggested Moscow was preparing to intensify its bombardment of Ukraine.
“Russia is at it again, using dangerous statements to undermine all achievements of our shared diplomatic efforts with President Trump’s team,” the Ukrainian leader wrote on X.
Russia’s accusation comes at a pivotal moment in the peace process.
Ukraine says it has agreed to 90 percent of a US-drafted peace plan — including the issue of post-war security guarantees — though the issue of territory in a post-war settlement remains unresolved.
Russia, which has stayed silent about what parts of the US plan it has agreed to, said Monday it was still committed to the peace process but would “revise” its position in light of the alleged drone attack.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a “special military operation” to demilitarise the country and prevent the expansion of NATO.
Kyiv and its European allies say the war, the largest and deadliest on European soil since World War II, is an unprovoked and illegal land grab that has resulted in a tidal wave of violence and destruction.
Territory main sticking point
Trump has held talks with both sides in recent days, including a phone call with Putin on Monday that the White House described as “positive.”
During talks with Zelensky on Sunday, Trump offered Kyiv long-sought-after security guarantees for a period of 15 years, according to Kyiv.
But the issue of territory and the future of the Moscow-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine remain unresolved, Zelensky said.
Zelensky said Monday that Kyiv was ready for “any” format of meetings — including with Putin if necessary — but said he still did not think the Kremlin chief wanted peace.
The current plan, revised after weeks of intense US-Ukrainian negotiations, would stop the war at the current frontlines in the eastern Donbas region and establish a demilitarised area.
But the Kremlin has shown no sign of compromise.
Putin said Monday that Russia was pressing ahead with its plan to capture four Ukrainian regions it announced the annexation of in 2022 and that his troops were “confidently advancing.”
Moscow on Monday said it took another village, Dibrova, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
