PRISTINA — Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Kosovo on Thursday against recent war crimes convictions for four wartime rebel leaders. A court in The Hague, Netherlands, found former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and three other former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders guilty of war crimes committed during the 1998-99 war for independence from Serbia.

Daily protests have occurred in Kosovo since the verdicts were announced. Protesters filled the central squares of Pristina on Thursday carrying banners reading “not in my name” and praising the Kosovo Liberation Army as a liberation movement. Iliriana Bullartovci said the four convicted leaders are “innocent.” She added, “This is a great injustice.”

Hashim Thaci and three other former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders were sentenced to between 13 and 25 years in prison. Kosovo has criticized the verdicts as unjust, maintaining that the Kosovo Liberation Army fought against Serbian oppression. Lawmakers in Kosovo’s legislative assembly unanimously condemned the war crimes verdicts in a declaration earlier this week. The opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo has proposed a law that would limit the mandate of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.

Protesters blocked a road near Pristina's airport on Thursday as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in the capital. Von der Leyen said the war crimes verdicts were “delivered by independent judicial institutions, and their mandate must be fully respected.” She stated, “Nothing and nobody can rewrite Kosovo’s history.” She also said, “1999 is engraved in Europe’s collective memory: the violent repression, the humanitarian crisis and the suffering endured by your people.” According to Reporteri.net, she emphasized that Kosovo's future lies within the European Union during her visit to Pristina, stating, 'The European Union has stood with you since [the 1999 conflict].'

Kosovo faces a political crisis following a deadlock of over 19 months that has blocked the election of a president and led to two early elections. Albin Kurti faces an Oct. 6 deadline to reach a deal with opposition groups on the next president, or another early election will be held.

More than 13,000 people, mostly ethnic Albanians, were killed during the conflict in Kosovo. About 1 million ethnic Albanian Kosovars were driven from their homes during the fighting in Kosovo. A 78-day campaign of NATO airstrikes against Serbian forces forced Belgrade to withdraw from Kosovo. Kosovo declared independence in 2008. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo's independence.

Timeline

Kosovo declared independence in 2008. On October 1, protesters blocked a road near Pristina's airport as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in the capital. Also on October 1, protesters filled the central squares of Pristina carrying banners reading “not in my name” and praising the Kosovo Liberation Army as a liberation movement.

On October 1, she said the war crimes verdicts were “delivered by independent judicial institutions, and their mandate must be fully respected.” She said, “Nothing and nobody can rewrite Kosovo’s history.” She said, “1999 is engraved in Europe’s collective memory: the violent repression, the humanitarian crisis and the suffering endured by your people.” On the same day, Albin Kurti said he was “waiting for an interpretation from my legal office” regarding the law condemning the verdicts. Kurti told reporters, “We believe the verdicts contain factual, historical and legal errors, and we expect these to be corrected on appeal.”

What's New

Additional reporting indicates that the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) was established in 1993 as the military wing of the League for the Protection of Kosovo (LPK) and had a General Staff from at least 1994, according to the Kosovo Specialist Chambers' trial judgment summary. The KLA was formally established as the military wing of the League for a Free Kosovo (LPK) in 1997, according to the Kosovo Specialist Chambers' trial judgment summary. It was reported that Albin Kurti, Kosovo's Prime Minister, faced an Oct. 6 deadline to resolve the presidential election deadlock, noting his role in navigating Kosovo's political crisis following 19 months of legislative gridlock.

Further details show that Albin Kurti, Kosovo's Prime Minister, led the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) in the parliamentary elections, which resulted in a narrow victory, setting the stage for his current political challenges including the presidential deadlock. The Kosovo Specialist Chambers' trial judgment revealed that the KLA targeted perceived opponents, including Kosovo Albanians associated with rival political groups like the LDK and FARK, as well as ethnic minorities such as Roma and Serbs, during the 1998-1999 conflict. The KLA targeted perceived opponents during the 1998-99 war, including Kosovo Albanians associated with rival political groups, Serbs, Roma, and ethnic minorities, as determined by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers trial panel. Records indicate Albin Kurti is Prime Minister of Kosovo.

Why It Matters

The convictions mark a legal development regarding the actions of the Kosovo Liberation Army during the 1998-99 war, a conflict that saw more than 13,000 people killed and about 1 million ethnic Albanian Kosovars driven from their homes. The verdicts have triggered a political and social response in Kosovo, where the government and public largely view the KLA as a liberation movement that fought against Serbian oppression. The unanimous condemnation by Kosovo’s legislative assembly and the proposed law to limit the mandate of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers reflect the depth of local opposition to the court's findings.

The timing of the protests coincides with a visit by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who emphasized the importance of respecting independent judicial institutions while acknowledging the historical suffering of the Kosovar people. This event occurs during a broader political crisis in Kosovo, characterized by a 19-month deadlock in electing a president and two early elections. Prime Minister Albin Kurti faces an immediate deadline of October 6 to reach a deal with opposition groups on the next president, with the potential for another early election if no agreement is reached. The interplay between the international legal verdicts, domestic political instability, and Kosovo's aspirations for European Union integration creates a complex landscape for the country's leadership.