Following the guilty verdict handed down by the Specialist Chambers in The Hague against former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, the director of the Octopus Institute, Arben Fetoshi, has called for calm, political unity, and a focus on the appeal process.
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According to him, the decision has sparked an “understandable revolt,” but Kosovo must respond cautiously and strategically.
Fetoshi said the Specialist Chambers represent an injustice imposed on Kosovo at the insistence of its strategic partners, following the difficult situation created by what he described as monstrous fabrications against the KLA and its leaders.
However, he opposed calls to abolish the Specialist Chambers. Fetoshi explained that although such an initiative could be launched procedurally in the Assembly, it would not resolve the issue and could have serious consequences for Kosovo in the international arena.
Speaking about the court’s legal basis, he stressed that its operation rests not only on the law establishing it, but also on the international agreement with the EU and Article 162 of the Constitution of Kosovo.
He described the ruling as scandalous but warned that anger must not be turned into state strategy.
In Kosovo, reactions and calls for calm followed the announcement of the guilty verdict in The Hague.
Fetoshi warned that any incident or escalation could damage Kosovo’s position and be exploited by Serbian propaganda.
According to him, turning anger into actions that could be instrumentalized would pose a fatal risk to the supreme sacrifice of the KLA and its leaders.
He emphasized that attacks cannot change the Specialist Chambers’ decision, but could weaken Kosovo’s international standing.
For this reason, Fetoshi called for energy and attention to be directed toward the appeal process. According to him, revolt-driven calls to dismantle the court must not overshadow the most important battle ahead—the appeal.
He proposed that Kosovo’s institutional and political leaders appear together at a press conference, where they would call on citizens to remain calm, measured, and restrained.
According to Fetoshi, a joint position would also show international partners that Kosovo opposes the decision but remains united when it comes to protecting its interests.
He stressed that today’s pain is legitimate, but the country must remain united to avoid harming the state. Fetoshi added that no impulsive reaction or public incident serves Kosovo’s interests.
Finally, he summarized his position in three pillars: a legal battle in the appeal process, a political battle to preserve unity, and a strategic battle to protect the interests of the Republic of Kosovo.
