Kosovo President urges MPs to extend mandate of the War Crimes Court

Gazeta Express

24/08/2020 20:14

Kosovo president, Hashim Thaci, in a video message posted on his Facebook, called on Members of Kosovo Parliament to extend the mandate of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor’s Office.

Thaci in his message said the mandate of the Hague-based Specialist Chambers, established by  the Parliament of Kosovo in 2015, should continue until a decision of the European Union Council in consultations with the Government of Kosovo for closing this Court mandated to investigate and  try alleged crimes of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).

“The politics should not interfere justice and justice should not interfere politics either. This was my conviction every time special panels and international courts were established over the last twenty years. And I still believe this now urging the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo to extend the mandate of the Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor’s Office until a final announcement of the EU Council in consultation with the Government of the Republic of Kosovo on concluding the mandate of this court,” Thaci said.

“We need clarification the way the Specialist Chambers will close, therefore I believe MPs will support my initiative,” Thaci said. Further the President said that Kosovo for twenty years now is facing with courts trying the KLA war, reminding that the Hague Specialist Chambers are the fifth court dealing with alleged crimes of the KLA.

The Specialist Prosecutor’s Office in a public statement issued in June announced filing of a war crimes indictment against President Hashim Thaci. The President was summoned for questioning by the Hague prosecutors. According to their Rules and Procedures a pre-trial judge of the Specialist Chambers has six months to either confirm or dismiss the indictment against Thaci. /GazetaExpress/