Thaci in the longest interrogation process at The Hague/ What happened yesterday?

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci decided to remain silent even after the third day of questioning by prosecutors of Special War Crimes Court Special Chambers in The Hague. On the third day, he witnessed between 1: 00 p.m. and 7: 00 p.m., but it seems that prosecutors have not enough to witness for three days. According to sources close to the prosecution, it is expected today to be the last day of interrogation. That means that former political leader of The KLA will be the person, who has been interviewed the longest of about 200 people invited to Specialised Chambers as possible suspects or witnesses.

The President's Silence for Public Opinion

The political leader of the former Kosovo Liberation Army passed before reporters and about 30 of his supporters who had come from Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium in support, without saying a word. Our sources say the president has answered all prosecutors' questions.

By contrast, many other crimes suspects -- like Democratic Party of Kosovo leader Kadri Veselini, former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, former Parliament Speaker Jakup Krasniqi and others -- have been quietly defended before prosecutors. Their interviews have lasted only a short while, but there have been, and such as the president, have decided to present their arguments before prosecutors. So far, the Specialised Chambers in The Hague have been invited to question about 200 people suspected of crimes, or the quality of potential witnesses.

Thaci passes without saying a word to reporters and about 30 of his supporters who had come from Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium

Two days ago, on 13 July, the president was first questioned by prosecutors. On the first day, he spoke to journalists, and said the first day was passed with the explanation of „technicians” between prosecutors and his defender Pierre Richard Prosper. While before entering the building of Monday's Specialised Chambers in English, he said that at The Hague he came to respect what he dreamed of and fought “a free and independent Kosovo based on equal rights for everyone, a multiethnic society and rule of law”.

Willingness for Facing Righteousness

President Thaci, head of PDK Kadri Veselini (in wartime chief of the secret service at the KLA) and others have been charged by the prosecution for war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and persecution of Albanians, Serbs, Roma and others in the time of the Kosovo war and later. Thaci, Wessel and others are blamed by prosecutors for 100 murders, where hundreds of people were killed.

Prosecutors have handed the indictment to the prosecutor of the preliminary procedure on April 24, 2020. The judge of the preliminary procedure has six months to confirm or reject the prosecutor's indictment. The prosecutor has decided to publish the indictment just three days before the meeting at the White House (contained for 27 June), with the explanation that Thaci and Veselin “are putting pressure on the Court and are secretly engaged in its wipeout”.

The meeting at the White House between the Kosovo leaders and Serbia, mediated by Ambassador Richard Green, has been postponed. While President Thaci has returned from the road to Washington and announced he is ready to face justice.

The KLA Special Court for War Crimes was founded by the Kosovo Parliament in 2015. It became functional in 2016. Her head is Ekattarina Trendafilova.

President Thaci himself was the one who in 2015 insisted mostly on establishing the Special Court, with the explanation that unless founded by the Kosovo Parliament, it would be founded by the UN Security Council.

The Special Court has been founded on the basis of charges filed by Swiss Eurodeput Dick Marty, who claims some of the KLA leaders have been involved in trafficking with human organs, war crimes and crimes against humanity. President Thaci has been mentioned more than 20 times in his report.

President Thaci has rejected demands for resignation, saying he will resign from the presidential post, unless the indictment against him is confirmed by the judge. It is expected that his interrogation will end Thursday, just two hours before Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbia President Aleksandar Vuciq meet in Brussels to continue the frozen dialogue in 2018. /