Vučić on the Verdict Against Thaçi: “No Euphoria” — the Court Did Not Want to Damage the KLA’s Credibility

Belgrade — Aleksandar Vučić said this evening at the Presidency building in Belgrade that there should be no euphoria over the first-instance sentences against the former KLA leaders announced today in The Hague, but that messages should be received with patience and understood well.

He assessed that the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, composed of international judges, did not confirm the suspicions about the existence of a widespread or systematic attack against the civilian population — because, in his view, they did not want to damage the KLA’s credibility.

“We all together were not sufficiently prepared to face our mistakes and the crimes committed in our name, but the solution in the future lies in dialogue and greater understanding,” Vučić said.

He added that, since these are Specialist Chambers within the Kosovo system, relocated to The Hague, even if today’s decision is confirmed at second instance, there is a “third instance” — the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, which could send the case back for retrial if during the procedure any right of Hashim Thaçi or any of the other convicted persons was violated.

According to today’s decisions, Hashim Thaçi and Jakup Krasniqi were sentenced at first instance to 25 years in prison each, Kadri Veseli to 18 years and Rexhep Selimi to 13 years in prison.

Source: Danas — https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/vucic-o-presudi-taciju/