Fear of unrest in the Balkans: The Hague court convicts the 'Snake of Kosovo' of war crimes

The Special Court in The Hague convicted former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, known as 'the Snake', of war crimes and sentenced him to 25 years in prison. Alongside him, three other senior members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) were convicted of murder, torture, and persecution of civilians suspected of treason during the war against the Serbs (1998-1999). The conviction raises fears of unrest in Kosovo and the Albanian diaspora, amid regional tensions following the funeral of Serbian war criminal Ratko Mladić.

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague today (Wednesday) convicted former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, known as 'the Snake', of war crimes and sentenced him to 25 years in prison. Alongside him, three other senior members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) were convicted: Kadri Veseli, former head of intelligence; Jakup Krasniqi, the organization's spokesman; and Rexhep Selimi, head of operations. They were found guilty of murder, torture, and persecution of civilians suspected of treason or collaboration with Serbian forces during the Kosovo War of 1998-1999. The prosecution had sought a maximum sentence of 45 years for each, arguing they acted within a 'joint criminal enterprise'. Thaçi, 58, was the political leader of the KLA and earned the nickname 'the Snake' for his ability to evade Serbian forces. After the war, he served as Kosovo's first prime minister (2008-2014) and as president (2016-2020). He resigned in 2020 upon the filing of the indictment and traveled to The Hague, where he was detained. His lawyers argued that the charges were baseless and an attempt to rewrite history, and that there was no clear chain of command in the KLA. The conviction is expected to increase tensions in the Balkans, amid anger in Kosovo and the Albanian diaspora. Kosovar police, in coordination with foreign peacekeeping forces, have prepared for the possibility that protests could turn violent. Foreign embassies have advised their citizens to avoid gatherings. The conviction comes about a week after the massive funeral in Serbia for war criminal Ratko Mladić, which sparked outrage in Europe.