New York Times: World eyes on Kosovo, attempts to abolish Special

In December, a group of deputies, mostly KLA veterans, tried to send to Parliament for a vote to suspend Kosovo law regulating the court. However, the vote did not occur, but his sponsors said to have the support of President Hashim Thaci, who has previously been charged with running an organised criminal network.

The New York Times” wrote that local media in Kosovo have reported that indictments will occur soon and that some key political figures may face arrest. When lawmakers return Monday after the winter break and Parliament is reconnected, the US, the European Union and other Western allies will monitor, Coha.net broadcasts.

The court, by world powers, is seen as a key precondition for regional reconciliation following the bloody Balkan wars in the 1990s. But attempts to stop the court before even the hearings began have enraged Western supporters.

They have warned the country's leaders not to sabotage the rule of law, and the fiercest criticism has come from the country's allies, who about 19 years ago launched the NATO bomber campaign to save Kosovo from the violent crackdown led by Slobodan Milosevic, Serbia's former powerful leader.

The US said on 4 January, in a statement signed by Germany, Britain, Italy and France that any attempts to stop the tribunal's work would jeopardise “everything Kosovo has reached”.

“is the most serious and the most dramatic clash between Kosovo's highest state institutions and the West”, said Agron Bajrami, editor-in-chief of “Ditore”, one of Kosovo's biggest newspapers. Continued efforts against the tribunal are a “panic signal among the ranks of Kosovo leadership”, he says, broadcasts Koha.net.

And the unusual rejection of Kosovo leaders against the United States “defenders and guardians of our independence”, Bajrami says, perhaps it is a sign that some “expect to be charged”.

Several former KLA commanders, including President Thaci, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and Chief Parliamentary Kadri Veselini, are reportedly leading efforts to abolish the law regulating the court.

Some citizens in Kosovo have expressed their concern that their leaders are working more for personal gain than for national interests. Many say former soldiers, who have dominated the government by recent elections, have failed to lead the country, which has a significant Serb minority. They complain a lot about a lack of legal protection and civil rights, along with political and institutional corruption.

But even among the most vocal critics among the Albanian majority, it is hard to find someone who would oppose the role of former KLA fighters in the country's liberation. Their decision before the trial, many say, would be like an annulment of Kosovo's independence.

“fully rejects the KLA members' judgment for crimes on ethnic grounds”, says Albin Kurti, lawmakers and former elite of the largest opposition party, Vetevendosje. “It's harmful to our country inside but even to our nation outside”, it transmits Time.net.

We have rejected the court then, and we will now challenge it”, Kurti told the New York Times “ ”. He added that his movement, which has 32 seats in Parliament, would not cease its efforts to bring to justice the country's current leaders for what he says was “crimes committed during peace”.

The American newspaper tells of the EU Task Force report led by US diplomat Clinton Williams, who says the suspect of violating international law is already Kosovo President Thaci, as leader of a criminal network, “Drenica Group”. Thaci had denied the charges.

Three years ago, after becoming president, he became very committed to upholding the law on the establishment of special court. Now, he is supporting efforts to stop the tribunal, partly to defend himself, experts say, and in part to preserve the old narration that Kosovo Albanians were victims, not war crimes leaders.

In a December decision, he had pardoned three former KLA members convicted of killing an entire Albanian family in 2001 because the father was suspected of working with the Serbian police.

It is not clear whether the Kosovo Parliament will vote for the abolition of the court. Two-thirds of lawmakers are needed to pass the amendment to the law because constitutional amendments are needed, Coha.net broadcast.

Western powers have always been convinced that Kosovo, as well as other countries in the region, must comply with Balkan wars. France and Germany sent emisars to Pristina, in what appeared to be an attempt to pressure leaders to refrain from trying to change the Constitution.

Every war crimes suspect must be tried, regardless of their ethnicity or nationality”, James Ker-Lindssay, professor of politics and expert on Balkan issues at St. Mary in London.

“No-No one”, he added, “should not escape war crimes”. /Periscopi/