The European Union has issued a reaction a few days before the announcement of the ruling for Hashim Thaçi and three other former KLA leaders at the Specialist Chambers in The Hague, calling on the parties and states involved to show restraint. In the official version from Brussels, the emphasis is on respecting procedures and the verdict, but also on the fact that the trial does not end with the first instance.
Brussels calls for restraint before September 16
In the reaction given to Gazeta Express, the EU calls on all states and parties involved to respect the judicial procedures of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and the decision expected to be issued for Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi.
The message comes at a sensitive political and public moment, as the case in The Hague continues to produce sharp divisions in Kosovo and beyond. Brussels’ position is clear in form, but it intervenes directly in the climate being created ahead of the announcement of the first-instance judgment.
EU defends the legitimacy of the Specialist Chambers
According to the official statement, the EU repeated its support for the Specialist Chambers, describing them as an independent judicial institution. It was also recalled that this mechanism was created by decisions of the Assembly of Kosovo in 2014–2015.
Brussels also underlined that, through constitutional amendments, the Assembly of Kosovo authorized the transfer of proceedings to The Hague, on the grounds that this would help guarantee independent, impartial and fair processes for allegations of serious crimes during and after the war in Kosovo.
The ruling does not close the process
One of the main points of the reaction is that the September 16 judgment is not considered final. According to the EU, both the defense and the prosecution have the right to appeal first-instance decisions.
This clarification comes at a time when political and emotional expectations surrounding the ruling are high, while Brussels seeks to place the debate within the court’s procedural framework.
March in Prishtina and continued criticism of the Specialist Chambers
In Prishtina, a peaceful march in defense of the four former KLA leaders is expected to begin today. The gathering has been announced for 14:00, and organizers expect participation from citizens coming from different areas of Kosovo, with the call for justice for Thaçi, Veseli, Krasniqi and Selimi.
At the same time, the entire process in The Hague has long been accompanied by criticism from Kosovo, where the Special Court has been described by many voices as one-sided. In this climate, every call for calm and respect for the ruling is also read against the backdrop of consolidated distrust toward the judicial mechanism.
What the indictment contains
The indictment by the Specialist Prosecutor contains 10 counts against the four accused. Six of them relate to crimes against humanity and four to war crimes.
Earlier this year, the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office had sought 45 years of imprisonment for the accused. The Specialist Chambers were established in 2015 and began operating in 2016–2017, after constitutional amendments in Kosovo, exchanges with the EU and the agreement with the Netherlands for their transfer to The Hague.
The EU reaction thus comes as an effort to impose an institutional tone ahead of a decision with high political and symbolic weight for Kosovo.
However, beyond the official language from Brussels, the issue remains burdened by distrust, public divisions and open debate over the balance of justice being administered in The Hague.