Kosovo’s leader quits over war crime charges

THE president of Kosovo resigned from office yesterday after being told that he would face charges for war crimes.

Hashim Thaci, who was a commander known as “Snake” in the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during the war with Serbia in the late Nineties, has been accused of involvement in the deaths of nearly 100 people.

The 52-year-old, who is seen as a hero by Kosovo’s ethnic Albanian majority, said he intended to fight the charges in The Hague, adding that he was stepping down to ensure he would not face trial while serving as leader to “protect the integrity of the office of the president”.

“We are a freedom-loving people and not vengeful. That is why no claim may rewrite history. Kosovo has been the victim. Serbia has been the aggressor,” he told a news conference.

Mr Thaci, who saw his popularity soar when he declared Kosovo’s independence from Serbia in 2008, was questioned over his involvement in crimes against humanity by Kosovo Specialist Chambers earlier this year.

The body was set up in The Hague in 2015 to handle cases of alleged crimes by KLA members during the war, which cost more than 10,000 lives.

It operates under Kosovo law but is staffed by international judges and prosecutors.

Another defendant is Kadri Veseli, 53, a former parliamentary speaker and an opposition party leader, who said he planned to travel to The Hague in the Netherlands this week and was resigning from “all public political activities”.

Nine other former rebel leaders were also indicted on charges including murder, kidnap, persecution and torture.

Vjosa Osmani, the parliamentary speaker, will act as president until a new leader is elected.