Thaci announces resignation in case Hague indictment is confirmed

Photo: Tanjug/AP

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci says that he would resign if the specialist court for KLA crimes confirms the indictment which has been filed by the prosecution of that court.

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"In the coming days, I will consult with political leaders about the next steps. I assure you once again, I will not face justice from this office. If the indictment is confirmed, I will resign immediately," Thaci said, as reported by RTS.

Thaci appeared before the media a few days late, and after speaking with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who called the indictments against the leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo "a part of a broader plan of attacking Kosovo and Albanians."

The Specialist Prosecutor's Office of the court set up to prosecute war crimes committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) has filed an indictment to the chamber of this tribunal, accusing former KLA political leader Hashim Thaci and the head of his secret police Kadri Veseli of killing some 100 people, as well as other crimes.

Although the details of this indictment have not been disclosed, it was clear in late 2017 that the prosecution of the new court based in The Hague had launched an investigation against the political leader of the KLA and the commander of the secret police - without publishing any details of that investigation.

The investigation against Veseli was conducted because of his responsibility as the former head of SHIK, the KLA intelligence service, while the names of the two KLA leaders appeared in the context of a possible indictment after Thaci launched a serious political initiative to abolish this specialist court for KLA crimes.

(Telegraf.rs)