Kosovo President Hasim Thaci on Monday appeared at The Hague to be interviewed by a special international prosecutor after his recent indictment on war crimes charges.
“Nobody can rewrite history,” he said in his prepared statement to the press as he stood outside the entrance to the court, chants ringing out behind him, almost obscuring his words at times.
“I believe in peace, truth, reconsideration and justice. I believe in dialogue and good relations with all neighbours,” the statement went on.
He added that he was “ready to face the new challenge and win for my son, my family, my people and my country.”
Supporters stood behind a barrier draped with the flags of the Kosovo Liberation Army, Albania and Kosovo, waiting for Thaci to arrive and held signs that read: “This is racism” and “we have no heroes to sacrifice”.
The leader has denied any wrongdoing, but last Wednesday said that he would go to the special chamber to be questioned by prosecutors.
The accusations relate to Kosovo’s independence war against Serbia and are being assessed by a judge at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) who will then decide if the case will go to trial.
The KSC, a court based in The Hague with international staff working under Kosovo’s law, is mandated to look into allegations that members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, which was fighting for independence, committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The indictment came as EU-sponsored talks between Kosovo and Serbia restarted in Brussels at the weekend.
The KSC, a court based in The Hague with international staff working under Kosovo’s law, is mandated to look into allegations that members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, which was fighting for independence, committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The indictment came as EU-sponsored talks between Kosovo and Serbia restarted in Brussels at the weekend.
