The decision of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague on September 16, by which Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi were sentenced to prison, has sparked a new wave of debate in Kosovo and throughout the Albanian space. Attention has also been focused on relations between Kosovo and Albanians living in the Presheva Valley, due to the political and diplomatic movements of the following days.
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Nehat Hyseni, a political analyst from Presheva, in an interview for “Bota sot”, emphasizes that the events after September 16 must be analyzed in a broader context, which includes legal, political, diplomatic aspects and the problems of Albanians beyond Kosovo’s borders. He stresses that in this situation, it is vital to maintain institutional stability, coordination and political harmony.
According to Hyseni, the Hague verdict is complex and cannot be summed up simply by the number of years in prison. He recalls that, although they were found guilty for some war crimes, the four former KLA leaders were acquitted of some charges related to crimes against humanity.
“The court also acquitted the defendants of six counts of the indictment for crimes against humanity, as the trial panel found that the prosecution failed to prove the existence of a widespread or systematic attack against civilians. So, we are dealing with a complex legal decision, which should not be read only through the numbers of the sentences,” Hyseni explains.
Another key point of this ruling, according to him, is the distinction that must be made between individual criminal responsibility and how the history of Kosovo’s liberation war is judged.
“Kosovo must be able to respect the court’s decisions, ensure justice for the victims, and at the same time preserve, at an institutional level, the memory of the war and liberation. This is one of the most serious political challenges after September 16,” he emphasizes.
In this context, Hyseni interprets Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s trip to the United States as a step that goes beyond mere formal participation in the UN General Assembly session.
According to him, at such a moment, Kosovo needs to dialogue with international allies about institutional stability, social cohesion and the Euro-Atlantic path, and this diplomatic agenda may also include topics related to the Albanians of the Presheva Valley.
“Mr. Kurti’s visit to the U.S. is not merely a protocol trip to the UN. It takes place at a time when Kosovo needs to explain to international partners how it will preserve institutional stability, internal cohesion and the Euro-Atlantic orientation after a ruling that has caused strong emotions both in Kosovo and among Albanians in general,” Hyseni says.
The analyst from Presheva links this development also to the recent meetings of Prime Minister Kurti with the political leaders of the Valley’s Albanians. On September 15, one day before the Hague verdict was issued, Kurti had welcomed in his office political representatives from Presheva, Bujanoc and Medvegja, including MP Shaip Kamberi and the Mayor of Presheva, Ardita Sinani.
For Hyseni, this political presence is not an isolated event, because the Valley’s problems, according to him, require continuous attention and close coordination between institutions and Albanian representatives.
“On September 15, one day before the Hague ruling, Albin Kurti received in the Prime Minister’s Office the political representatives of the Albanians of Presheva, Bujanoc and Medvegja. Present at the meeting were Shaip Kamberi and Ardita Sinani, Mayor of the Municipality of Presheva, together with other representatives of Albanian political parties and institutions of the Valley. This meeting carries a special political weight due to the message it conveys,” he says.
Hyseni assesses that the difficulties faced by Albanians in southern Serbia cannot be resolved only at the local level. He mentions issues such as address passivation, education in the mother tongue, textbooks, official language, representation in administration, employment opportunities and economic development as areas that require uninterrupted political and institutional engagement.
“For the Presheva Valley, this has special importance because its issue cannot be considered simply a local problem. Address passivation, Albanian education, school textbooks, official use of language, representation in administration, employment, economic development and integration of Albanians into Serbian institutions require constant attention,” Hyseni declares.
He also sees the role of various Albanian political figures from the Valley as important, distinguishing the parliamentary dimension of Shaip Kamberi and the local one of Ardita Sinani.
“The role of Shaip Kamberi as an Albanian MP in the Serbian Parliament and that of Ardita Sinani as Mayor of Presheva embody two different levels: the parliamentary and the local,” Hyseni stresses.
Commenting on the political dynamics within the Valley, the analyst emphasizes that differences among Albanian parties and leaders are part of democracy, but for fundamental issues, according to him, a minimum of coordination is necessary.
“After the Hague ruling, Albanian politics faces a broader question: will it be able to maintain institutional and political unity in the face of this new situation? This question also applies to the Valley. In Presheva, Bujanoc and Medvegja, there are considerable differences between parties, leaders and modes of political action. These differences are a normal part of democratic pluralism. But for the fundamental issues of Albanians – education, language, institutional representation, address passivation and economic development – a minimum of coordination is needed,” he underlines.
According to Hyseni, the responsibility for such coordination should not be left only to Prishtina. He thinks that Albanian political entities in the Valley, the local authorities and the Albanian National Council should also engage to build a clear and measurable platform of interests.
“However, the responsibility does not fall only on Prishtina. It belongs to all Albanian parties in the Valley, local institutions and the Albanian National Council to formulate a clear and verifiable platform of Albanian interests,” Hyseni says.
An important part of his analysis Hyseni also dedicates to the need to bring the Presheva Valley issue to the international level. He stresses that the problems of Albanians in southern Serbia must be part of communication with international institutions and bodies, but this must be based on concrete facts and arguments.
“The issue of the Valley needs to be present in international diplomacy. In recent years, Albanian representatives from the Valley have insisted that their problems be discussed in Berlin, Brussels, Strasbourg, Washington and New York. This approach is important because the problems of an Albanian community living in southern Serbia cannot remain confined only to the sphere of local Serbian politics,” he says.
Hyseni emphasizes that the internationalization of the issue must be accompanied by strong documentation and argumentation.
“But internationalization must be based on documents, arguments and concrete policies. The demands for Albanians’ rights must be supported by data on education, employment, representation, language use, address passivation and economic development. Only in this way can the Valley issue take on a sustainable European and American dimension,” Hyseni declares.
In this framework, he considers Kurti’s participation in the UN General Assembly as an opportunity for broader diplomatic communication, stressing that the interests of the Valley’s Albanians can be included in international agendas on minority rights and democracy.
“In this context, Mr. Kurti’s presence in New York for the UN General Assembly creates a significant diplomatic space, while the Albanian representatives of the Valley have an interest that their concrete problems be part of international agendas on minority rights and democracy,” he says.
In conclusion, Hyseni assesses that the events of recent days should serve as an incentive for more institutional and political cooperation, both within Kosovo and in the Presheva Valley.
“Kosovo needs functioning institutions, while the Albanians of the Valley need political coordination, representation and sustainable international support. After September 16, the challenge is not simply to react to a judicial ruling. The challenge is that Kosovo’s institutions and Albanian political representatives, in Kosovo, the Valley and the diaspora, act with responsibility, wisdom and coordination,” Hyseni concludes.
According to him, the current moment should be used to move from momentary reactions toward a more organized political and diplomatic approach.
“In this sense, the trip of September 18 can be seen as part of a broader diplomatic moment: from Prishtina and Presheva toward New York, from internal crisis toward international communication, and from emotional reaction toward the need for a clear political strategy. For the Presheva Valley, the main message remains clear: without inter-Albanian cooperation, without functional institutions and without the reasoned internationalization of problems, it is difficult to ensure sustainable results,” emphasizes the analyst from Presheva, Nehat Hyseni.
We recall that on September 15, 2026, one day before the pronouncement of the verdict of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, Prime Minister Albin Kurti held a meeting with Albanian political representatives from Presheva, Bujanoc and Medvegja, among them Shaip Kamberi and Ardita Sinani. On September 16, the first-instance verdict against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi was announced, and on September 18 Kurti traveled to the United States to participate in the proceedings of the United Nations General Assembly. These developments were followed by new discussions on the political situation in Kosovo, relations with international partners, and issues affecting the Albanians of the Presheva Valley.
