Amid criticism of the lengthy proceedings, the Special Court has extended the deadline for the announcement of the verdict in the case of former KLA leaders until July 20. The reason behind this decision was the “complexity of the case”, according to the Special Court. However, this date may not be the furthest possible as another extension was warned in case “it becomes absolutely necessary”.
Express newspaper
The Specialist Chambers in The Hague have confirmed today to Gazeta Express that the Trial Panel has issued a decision to extend the deadline for the announcement of the Judgment for the former KLA leaders in The Hague for another 60 days, until Monday, July 20, 2026.
The spokesperson for this institution, Angela Griep, said that this decision was made "due to the complexity of the case."
"This date is not the date of the announcement of the verdict, but only the date of the extended deadline," she said, explaining that the verdict could be announced even before July 20.
However, this date may not be the last either.
"The Trial Panel added that, if a further extension becomes absolutely necessary, it will issue a corresponding order in due course," she said.
The announcement of the verdict was scheduled for May 19, in accordance with procedural deadlines.
The new decision comes amid widespread criticism and protests that accompanied the trial of Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi for bias and injustice on the part of the Specialized Chambers.
This news prompted a reaction from the Democratic Party of Kosovo, which worriedly said that "endless delays have turned the judicial process in The Hague into institutionalized injustice."
"This unjustifiable delay is yet another testament to this protracted process, which has lost its sense of justice and has become a process influenced by political calculations. The latest delay is another blow to our faith in justice and an added injustice to the former KLA leaders, who have been held in detention for about five and a half years, turning this measure into a silent punishment imposed through repeated delays."
A member of this party and former advisor to Hashim Thaçi, Artan Behrami, linked this postponement to the date of the elections in Kosovo.
New snap elections in Kosovo were scheduled for June 7th, and the verdict was scheduled to be announced before the elections, on May 19th.
"Once they postponed his arrival to see his sick father because of the elections. Now they say the verdict is being postponed again because of the elections! Do you see how political this court is?" Behrami said last night.
Before the Special Court confirmed today the change in the date of the announcement of the verdict, Thaçi's lawyer, Luka Mishetić, confirmed the postponement of the decision to the public media last night.
"I can confirm that this is correct," Misetic stated in his response.
In February of this year, the KLA foursome gave their final statements in The Hague, once again declaring their innocence and saying that the charges against them had not been proven during the trial.
Former President Thaçi said in his speech that only the former leader of Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic, committed crimes.
"For almost three years, in this courtroom you have heard the accusations of the Prosecution and the arguments of the defense. You have seen the facts, you have heard the truth. There is only one truth: that the accusations do not hold up. I am completely innocent," Thaçi said in his closing statement.
The other three defendants similarly pleaded not guilty and for lack of proof of the Prosecution's charges.
Thaçi, Veseli, Krasniqi and Selimi were detained in November 2020.
They are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity during the period March 1998 - September 1999.
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