Over 3m euros were spent seven months on state budget for the protection of indictees by the Special

The Ministry of Justice through a written response to “Justice Trust” has shown that the amount spent on protecting the accused from the Special during the seven months of 2024 has reached 3m 309m and 200 euros, which this year's budget is 6 million and 850 thousand euros.

Also, the amount divided for 2024 is $6,85 000 (six million and eight hundred and fifty thousand euros)”, said the MD's response.

The January-July 2024 period for the protection of Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veselini, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi, from Kosovo's budget are spent on everyone except 660 thousand euros. For the protection of Peter Shala, however, 450 thousand euros have been spent.

For the protection of Salih Mustafa, The MD reports that 200 thousand euros have been spent, while at least are spent on protecting Nasim Haradinaj -- a total of 19 thousand and 200 euros.

During 2023, however, over 8m euros had been paid for the protection of the accused by the Special.

The amount of expenses for family visits to each of the defendants has reached 91 thousand and 925 euros and 4 cents during the seven-month period (janar-July 2024). These expenses include sleeping, food, and tickets.

During this period, Hashim Thaci has not exploited that right, while for Jakup Krasniqi's family, 15 thousand and 381 euros and 43 cents have been spent. For Kadri Wessel's family, 11 thousand and 461 euros and 7 cents have been spent, and for Rexhep Selim's family, 12,000 euros and 252 euros and 86 cents have been spent.

For the visits of Salih Mustaf's family, 8 thousand and 538 euros and 33 cents have been spent, while over Peter Shala's, 7 thousand and 95 euros and 31 cents have been spent.

In contrast, for visits by Hysni Gucati's family that included only sleeping and eating (without travel tickets), a total of 350 euros has been spent by July 2024.

Although their defence expenses did not occur, Sabit Januzi, Ismet Bahitari, Haxhi Shala and Isni Kilaj used the right to pay their family visits from the state budget.

Of these four, there have mostly been expenses for the visits of Haxhi Shala's family, worth 12 thousand and 287 euros and 26 cents, followed by those of Isni Kilayt, worth 11 thousand and 247 euros and 13 cents.

For visits by Bahtari's family are spent from the state budget of 7 thousand and 365 euros and 78 cents, for those of Januzi, 7 thousand and 95 euros and 31 cents.

Covering these expenses for the protection of special indictees becomes a conform article 3, paragraph 1 of Law No. 05l-054 for legal protection and financial support of persons charged with potential in judicial processes near Specialised Chambers.

Under Article 3.1 of this law is determined that “all accused persons have the right to request assistance in covering defence spending and the commitment of independent, experienced and competent defenders paid by the Kosovo Budget, reserved for the purposes of this Law”.

Until, Article 4 of the same law has seen “1. The necessary financial support for close members of the family of persons charged with alleged crimes in court processes near the Specialised Chambers included spending related to their trips when judicial procedures are conducted outside Kosovo. 2. The necessary financial support for close members of the family of persons charged with alleged crimes in judicial processes near the Specialised Chambers is conducted under the sublegal act adopted by the Justice Ministry”.

Kosovo's Specialised Chambers were established in August 2015, after Kosovo Parliamentary deputies had adopted the constitutional amendment, respectively, the new Article 162 of the Constitution of Kosovo, with two-thirds (2/3) of Kosovo Assembly deputies' votes, as well as the Specialised Chambers and Prosecutor's Office specialised (ZPS).

Otherwise, the Specialised Prosecutor's Office, 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 the latter 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.

In the case of Salih Mustaf, however, there were punishment decisions in the first and second degree, but the Special Supreme returned the case to Apel to determine a new sentence on war crimes indictees. The Act charges Mustafa with crimes committed against detained persons at a detention complex in the village of Zlatesh, where it allegedly committed arbitrary crimes, cruel treatment and torture, and that a banned one was killed.

Finally, even in the case of Peter Shala there is a verdict from the first degree, but that in 2023 this case was still under trial.

Shala was found guilty of arbitrary detention as a war crime against at least 18 people in the period between May 17th 1999 and June 5th of that year at the Metalli Fabric in Kukes, torture as a war crime against at least 18 people and unlawful murder as a war crime against one person. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison and the verdict still has no formal form.

On May 18th, 2022, Kosovo Specialised Chambers in The Hague were convicted of Nasim Haradinaj and Hysni Gucati, in connection with criminal acts of obstructing official persons and obstructing justice management, condemning them to four and a half years in prison, where they were counted in detention, as well as 100 euros in fines.

After a complaint at Appeals, the College of the Court of Appeals issued a case regarding the complaint of two convicts from the first instance, where most of the works for which they had been convicted were confirmed. But, the sentence was dropped to four years and three months and was confirmed with a 100-euro fine. However, requirements for protection of legitimacy in this case were rejected by the Supreme and Special Constitution.

Hysni Gucati, along with Nasim Haradinaj, was charged with criminal acts against justice administration, namely obstructing official persons in performing official duties, fearing witnesses, revenge and violating the secret of the procedure.

Works against administration of justice and obstructing official persons in performing official duties are also being accused of Ismet Bahitari, Sabit Januzi and Haxhi Shala, but that the trial in this case has not yet begun.