The Thaci verdict exposes the West’s unresolved Kosovo double standard - opinion

The verdict against former Kosovo prime minister Hashim Thaci and three other war criminals has shocked many, exposing the West's double standards regarding Kosovo. Thaci, along with Jakup Krasniqi, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 1998-1999 conflict. They were found guilty of detaining 385 people, torturing 303 and murdering 96, primarily Kosovo Albanians who were considered political opponents or collaborators with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The court dismissed the charges of crimes against humanity.

This judgment has surprised many, as previous international court rulings in the former Yugoslavia painted a one-sided picture of "good guys versus bad guys," portraying Serbia as aggressors and the Serbs as victims. The mass media in the West also played a role in this narrative, portraying the Serbs as easily exploitable collateral victims to demonstrate their balanced approach towards the Muslim world.

Nevertheless, the conviction of Thaci and his associates raises questions about the fairness of the proceedings. The Kosovo Specialist Chambers, responsible for the trial, effectively absolved the KLA, as the leaders of the group were the ones now convicted. The court did not address the KLA's terrorist activities and NATO's aggression against Yugoslavia during the conflict.

The judgment against Thaci and others presents a trap for the international community and public opinion, defining the convicted group as a criminal organization found guilty of individual murders rather than systematic persecution and crimes against humanity. This narrative, however, could change in the light of recent geopolitical upheavals, particularly under President Trump's administration. Serbia calls for equal treatment and for the conflict to be called by its proper name.