Unrest After The Hague Verdict: Protesters Clash with Police Outside EULEX Building; Masked Individuals with KLA Flags in Gllogoc

Incidents erupted outside the EULEX building in Kosovo immediately after the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague sentenced the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army. According to the Pristina portal Indeksonline, after the verdict protesters headed to the EULEX building, which was guarded by Kosovo Police special units.

Those gathered threw bottles toward the police and the building. There was also shoving between protesters and police officers, while the crowd called on the officers to leave the EULEX building; after the incidents the situation temporarily calmed down.

At the same time, in Gllogoc masked individuals with KLA flags gathered near a gas station, also after the verdict in The Hague.

The situation in the northern part of Mitrovica is calm: police confirmed they are implementing an operational plan with an increased police presence, while the main bridge over the Ibër also remains calm. The deputy commander of the Kosovo Police for the northern region, Veton Elshani, confirmed that the situation is currently calm and that police are present enough to react; no attempts by Albanians to cross from South to North Mitrovica were recorded.

The Specialist Chambers sentenced Hashim Thaçi and Jakup Krasniqi to 25 years in prison each in the first instance, Kadri Veseli to 18 and Rexhep Selimi to 13 years, for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in 1998 and 1999. Thaçi was found guilty of unlawful arrests, cruel treatment, torture and murder, while he was acquitted on several counts of the indictment; time spent in detention counts toward the sentences.

Source: Nova.rs