Albanian President Bajram Begaj issued a public reaction after the sentences against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi were announced by the Specialist Chambers in The Hague. In a brief statement, the head of state described the development as a moment of “deep sadness,” while maintaining a clear political line in defense of the KLA’s image.
The President’s reaction after the ruling
Begaj publicly expressed sadness over the judgment announced in The Hague against the former KLA leaders. His reaction came immediately after the sentences for the four defendants were made public.
At the core of his statement was the message that the judicial ruling should not be read as a stain on the KLA, separating individual responsibility from the broader political and national narrative tied to the war in Kosovo.
Support for an appeal
The President also praised the determination to appeal the judgment. According to him, this step represents a strong sign of integrity and resilience.
This position by the Presidency comes at a moment when The Hague ruling is expected to generate political and public reactions in Albania, Kosovo and beyond, outside the criminal proceedings themselves.
The political message about the KLA
In his statement, Begaj underlined that “for Albanians, no one and nothing can stain the KLA.” This sentence also sums up the core of the official reaction: opposition to any perception that might extend the effect of the ruling from individuals to the history of the liberation war.
The President’s reaction does not go into detail about the court’s reasoning, but focuses on the symbolic and political weight that this ruling carries for Albanian public opinion.
The ruling of the Specialist Chambers has brought back to the center one of the most sensitive issues for Albanian politics and public memory.
In his reaction, Begaj chose to place the emphasis on sadness over the ruling, support for an appeal, and the rejection of any stigmatization of the KLA.