A war crimes tribunal will announce the verdict on Wednesday in the trial of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi on charges dating back to a 1990s conflict for independence from Serbia. Prosecutors are seeking 45-year prison terms for Thaçi, 58, and three other top commanders of the former ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). They deny all charges and their lawyers have asked for their acquittal. Various cities in Kosovo have set up large screens showing a countdown to the verdict, which is expected to start at 10:00 a.m. in The Hague. On Saturday, thousands of people took part in a rally in the capital Pristina, demanding the men's release, writes the international news agency, Reuters. The trial has highlighted how fresh memories of the Balkan wars of the 1990s remain for people in the region and how entrenched are views on the ethnically charged issues that emerged during the breakup of Yugoslavia. Last week's large public funeral in Belgrade for Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mlladić, who died while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, showed that public opinion remains divided over the Balkan wars of the 1990s. The outcome of Thaci's trial could affect Kosovo's relations with the West, especially its ally the United States, and create new tensions with Serbia, which does not recognize him. Kosovo as an independent state, political analysts say. Thaçi and other commanders are accused of the persecution, murder, torture and enforced disappearance of Kosovo Albanians and Serbs during and immediately after the 1998-99 uprising, which eventually led to the independence of ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo from Serbia. Prosecutors have said that more than 100 political opponents and people perceived as collaborators of Serbian forces security forces were killed during a violent attempt by the KLA to seize political power. Thaçi's lawyers have argued that the accusations are unfounded and constitute an attempt to rewrite history. They said there was no evidence to directly link Thaci to any of the alleged crimes or to conclude that he controlled other KLA commanders. Kosovo's Specialized Chambers, with judges and lawyers international, are deeply unpopular in Kosovo. Under international pressure, Prishtina agreed in 2015 to the establishment of the tribunal, which deals with cases of war crimes under Kosovo law against former members of the KLA. Due to the risk of intimidation of witnesses, many prosecution witnesses testified behind closed doors, increasing the mistrust of Kosovars towards the institution. "For us, Hashim Thaçi is a hero of Kosovo, freedom fighter. He must return to Kosovo," said Mentor Plakaj, a resident of the capital, Pristina. Thaçi was president of Kosovo from 2016 to 2020 and prime minister from 2008 to 2014. "The verdict is a tectonic event," said Agon Maliqi, senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council Institute's Center for Europe. If Thaçi is found innocent and released, this can move it the balance of power in Kosovo's politics more towards his pro-Western opposition party and restore confidence in pursuing greater cooperation with the West for regional security, he said. Kosovo's politics is deeply divided, especially on relations with the West, Maliqi said. If Thaçi is found guilty, Kosovo may move even further away from the West than it has already moved away under Prime Minister Albin Kurti, he added. "The outcome of the judgment will also have an immediate impact on the already tense inter-ethnic relations within Kosovo, as emotions will be strong and radical forces, including external actors, may have an interest in fueling tensions," said Maliqi. In the long term, this it could also affect prospects for lasting peace with Serbia, depending on Belgrade's response, he said. Even if Thaci is acquitted of war crimes charges, he is unlikely to be released immediately, as prosecutors have sought a six-year prison sentence against him in a separate case for alleged witness tampering. Thaçi also denies these accusations.

Source: prizrenpost