Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi has declared his innocence during his closing arguments in the ongoing trial at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, where he is being tried along with three former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army on charges related to war crimes.
In his statement, Thaçi said that during the three years of the trial, “the truth” has been heard, insisting that he is completely innocent. According to him, at the time the war in Kosovo broke out, he was a student in Switzerland preparing for exams and not a person aiming to take political control of the country, as alleged by the Special Prosecution.
He emphasized that the only one who, according to him, had "morbid" plans at that time was the then Serbian leader Slobodan Milošević, adding that the circumstances of the time led to the creation of the Albanian resistance.
The trial against Thaçi and three of his former associates has entered its final phase after a trial that lasted nearly three years. The prosecution has requested severe sentences, while the defense has requested acquittal for the accused. A decision is expected within the coming months, according to court procedures.
The trial has sparked numerous reactions in Kosovo, where part of the public opinion considers the former KLA leaders as key figures in the war for independence, while others see the process as a necessary chapter of international justice.
