On September 16, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague are expected to announce the verdict in the case against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi. Their trial has drawn considerable interest for years, both in Kosovo and across the Albanian-speaking world.
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Speaking live on a television program, Nasim Haradinaj warned that if the verdict is a conviction, the consequences would not be confined to Kosovo. According to him, the entire Albanian-speaking region, including Albania and North Macedonia, could “go up in flames.”
Haradinaj described September 16 as a particularly important moment with far-reaching implications. Meanwhile, the trial in The Hague continues to be regarded as one of the most sensitive legal and political issues for Kosovo.
Lawyer Gazmend Halilaj told “Bota sot” that the fate of a people cannot be determined by a verdict and that no court ruling can be used to justify violence or unrest.
According to him, statements that Kosovo or the Albanian-speaking region could “go up in flames” in the event of a guilty verdict by the Specialist Court must be taken seriously. Halilaj said such language protects no one, but instead risks causing serious harm to society and the state.
He stressed that regardless of how harsh or painful a verdict may be for someone, it cannot serve as grounds for threats, clashes between citizens, violence or disruption of public order.
Halilaj called for the Specialist Court to be allowed to carry out its work independently. Any challenge to its decisions, he said, should be made solely through the avenues provided by law.
If a party considers the decision unjust, it may turn to lawyers, appeal procedures and other legal mechanisms. But warning that “Kosovo will burn,” according to Halilaj, constitutes neither an argument nor a defense of anyone; on the contrary, it puts pressure on the justice system and endangers ordinary citizens.
He addressed Nasim Haradinaj and all those who use such rhetoric, saying that Kosovo cannot be held hostage through threats or fear of violence. No one, he said, can take the law into their own hands or claim that their personal history, contribution to the war or political position places them above the law.
Halilaj also emphasized that honoring the KLA’s war and the sacrifices made by people is not the same as supporting violence or threats.
To build a democratic and strong Kosovo, he said, the country must demonstrate that even the most difficult decisions can be dealt with through the law and institutions.
He called on Kosovo’s institutions to maintain calm, act decisively and be prepared to protect public order and the safety of every citizen, regardless of their political beliefs or affiliation.
According to Halilaj, political parties and public figures also bear great responsibility. Instead of escalating the situation, they should call for respect for institutions, the preservation of calm and the avoidance of all forms of violence.
Citizens, he said, should also be careful not to fall prey to provocations, propaganda or calls for confrontation aimed at spreading fear and hatred.
Halilaj reiterated that a court ruling does not determine the fate of a people and should not be turned into a reason to destabilize an entire state. According to him, Kosovo stands above any individual or political group and is stronger than any threat.
If people believe in Kosovo’s statehood, then they must also have confidence in its laws, justice system and institutions, he said. Justice may be criticized, debated and appealed, but it cannot be threatened with violence. According to Halilaj, Kosovo needs responsibility, calm and respect for the law, not “flames,” threats and clashes.
Former investigator and analyst Agim Rexhepi also discussed the possibility of protests and incidents. In a statement to “Bota sot,” he said the warning about Kosovo and the Albanian-speaking region “burning” should not be viewed solely as an emotional reaction, but should be seriously analyzed by the institutions.
From a political and security perspective, Rexhepi said, such a statement cannot be dismissed as an ordinary expression of emotion. When a prominent figure among KLA veterans uses such language, it may be understood as a warning of unrest, but also as harsh political rhetoric intended to express opposition to a possible verdict.
However, Rexhepi made a clear distinction: the statement itself does not prove that violence will occur. According to him, it would not be right to predict the destabilization of Kosovo based solely on those words.
Precisely because of the weight the statement carries, the institutions must take it seriously and prepare for every possible scenario, he stressed.
Rexhepi said protests were possible, particularly if a harsh verdict is handed down against some of the former KLA leaders. However, he urged that protest not be equated with violence, as the two are entirely different things.
According to him, it is to be expected that some citizens will organize rallies, protest or express dissatisfaction in support of the former KLA leaders. Such a response, as long as it remains peaceful, is a normal part of a democratic society.
The problem, Rexhepi explained, begins if rallies turn into attacks against institutions, threats against judges, witnesses or journalists, clashes with the police, damage to public property, attempts to undermine the constitutional order or political mobilization through language that incites violence.
He emphasized that patriotism should not be equated with violence, nor can the pain associated with the KLA’s history be interpreted as a right to disrupt public order.
Analyzing the possible consequences, Rexhepi said a guilty verdict could trigger strong emotional reactions in Kosovo, as the case involves some of the leading figures of the KLA war and touches on a significant part of the country’s historical and political identity.
On an emotional level, he said, some citizens may experience anger, disappointment and a sense of injustice.
Politically, the decision could be used by various parties for mobilization, particularly if a perception emerges that Kosovo’s institutions are not responding adequately.
At the societal level, Rexhepi sees the possibility of deepening divisions between those who view the verdict as unjust and those who insist that the decision must be respected, regardless of who is convicted.
Regarding relations with international partners, he said a measured, institutional and nonviolent response would strengthen Kosovo’s position. Violent incidents, on the other hand, would seriously damage the country’s international image.
Rexhepi recalled that the Specialist Court has previously issued judgments against former KLA members. In the case of Nasim Haradinaj and Hysni Gucati, their sentences were partially upheld on appeal, and they completed them in December 2024.
According to him, this case demonstrates that a decision by the Specialist Court, regardless of its political significance, should not be portrayed as the end of Kosovo’s statehood or history.
In conclusion, Rexhepi said the institutions bear the greatest responsibility for managing the situation. Their message should be clear: the right to protest is guaranteed, while violence cannot be accepted.
The police and security institutions, he said, should draw up preventive plans without creating a climate of fear. They should identify sensitive locations in advance, prevent provocations and guarantee the safety of citizens and institutions.
Rexhepi also called on political leaders to exercise particular care in their use of public language. They may criticize the verdict, call for it to be appealed and express solidarity with the defendants, but they should not use wording that could be interpreted as a call for confrontation.
KLA veterans and the families of the former leaders should also help calm the situation, he said. Those with moral authority on this issue are best placed to channel the emotional response toward democratic protest rather than conflict.
