KFOR Official Asked About KLA's Duties

At the beginning of the session, the witness has been questioned by prosecutor Vega Iodice, who focused on the uniforms of members of the Kosovo Liberation Army during the period KFOR was on a mission in Prizren from 13-14 June 1999, reports the “Justice Trust”.

Initially, the witness was shown a video in which he was said to have appeared to be a person in black uniforms for whom he said relatively often he saw such clothing.

“Yes, relatively often in those days such” uniforms have been seen, he said.

Fritsch said he is not sure which formations used these uniforms, but who thinks the KLA military police used them.

However, the witness said that there was a mixture of uniforms, and not all of them used the same uniforms.

“Yes, there were different combinations of partial uniforms. There were persons who were dressed in black, some were wearing lara-lara, some dressed in mixed uniforms and others. However, most of them had an identifying mark that you were the black eagle”, Fritsch said.

He also said that during the time they were with missions in Prizren, in the first few days they saw KLA patrols on the street.

“Yes, during the first few days, after we entered the country, which is after June 13th and June 14th relatively for a short period we have seen these things”, Fritsch said.

KFOR officer said patrol of The KLA on the streets of Prizren was because they wanted to fill the vacuum that was created after the Yugoslav Army was on the run and KFOR was on the way.

When KFOR forces entered Kosovo, the Yugoslav side had to withdraw under agreement from Kosovo within a few days. So KFOR forces were entering Kosovo and for a short period of time there was a kind of vacuum, and the KLA wanted to fill this vacuum...”, Fritsch said, adding that in the first few days there was a large KLA presence in the city, while later there were only a few individuals.

That's all the prosecution's questions ended, to continue with Thaci's defense through lawyer Nina Tavakoli.

The Prosecutor's Office specialised on September 30th 2022 has handed over the confirmed amended indictment against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselini, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi, which consists of ten points of charges, where they are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

On April 29th 2022, the Specialised Prosecutor's Office had handed over a amended indictment to Hashim Thaci, Kadri Wessel, Rexhepi and Jakup Krasniqi, where four indictees have committed war crimes even in Gjilan, Budakov and Semtish.

On November 9th 2020, in their first appearances, Hashim Thaci's Jakup Krasniqi has been declared innocent of the charges placed on them. Wessel has also been declared in his presentation on November 10th, as has Rexhep Selimi on November 11th.

The incident against Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselin, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi is confirmed on October 26, 2020. /Betimy for Justice