Kosovo’s lawmakers slam EU-backed court’s war crimes verdicts of rebel leaders from war with Serbia

Prishtina, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo's lawmakers unanimously expressed disapproval on Monday of recent war crimes verdicts handed down by a European Union-backed court against four of their wartime rebel leaders, a rare act of consensus in a Balkan nation entrenched in a political turmoil.

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On Monday, all 99 lawmakers present at the Parliament session approved a declaration that voiced apprehension over the convictions and appealed to authorities to act in defense of Kosovo's legacy of the 1998-99 war for independence from Serbia. Earlier this month, a The Hague court convicted former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and three other former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders of war crimes, sentencing them between 13 and 25 years in prison.

Kosovo has denounced the verdicts as unjust, arguing that the Kosovo Liberation Army, under Thaci's leadership before entering politics, fought against Serbian oppression. Locals and politicians are apprehensive that the court ruling could undermine the struggle for independence. The parliamentary declaration called for a "joint state strategy" to coordinate legal, institutional, and diplomatic actions aimed at safeguarding and affirming the true historical narrative of Kosovo's struggle for freedom and liberation.

Kosovo's acting President Albulena Haxhiu read out the declaration in the parliament. Over 13,000 people lost their lives during the conflict, which came to an end following a NATO bombing that compelled Serbia to withdraw from Kosovo, then a Serbian province. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, a move still rejected by Serbia.

Since the verdicts were announced, thousands have demonstrated against them across Kosovo, putting additional pressure on Prime Minister Albin Kurti's government. Kurti found himself facing a new deadline of October 6 for political parties to agree on his successor, as early elections would be triggered if no consensus is reached – the third such election within a year.

Some opposition parties have linked their endorsement of a successor to a new law seeking to curtail the powers of a Special Chamber at The Hague that tried Thaci, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi, and Rexhep Selimi.

Kurti's administration has pledged support for the four in their appeal process. The Netherlands-based court was established in 2015 with EU backing. Kosovo has been urged to restore relations with Serbia if it hopes to join the EU. However, an EU-mediated dialogue remains stalled due to persistent tensions between the former adversaries.