Kurti: Specialist Chambers judgment against former KLA leaders contains factual and legal errors that must be corrected on appeal

During his visit to the United States of America, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti met with US Congressman Mike Lawler.

One of the issues discussed was the judgment handed down by the Specialist Chambers in The Hague against four former KLA leaders. Kurti said the ruling contains factual inaccuracies, misinterpretations of history and legal errors.

According to the prime minister, the organ-trafficking allegations mentioned in Dick Marty’s report were not included in the prosecution’s indictment.

“The judgment disregarded the offensive and implausible organ-trafficking allegations in Dick Marty’s report, which were so implausible that not even the prosecution brought them as charges,” Kurti said.

Kurti added that the Specialist Chambers also rejected the charges of crimes against humanity.

“It also categorically rejected the prosecution’s allegations of crimes against humanity,” he said.

However, the prime minister said the other parts of the judgment should be challenged through the appeals process.

“The remaining findings, however, were based on factual inaccuracies, historical misunderstandings and legal errors. We expect them to be fully corrected on appeal,” Kurti stated.

The first-instance judgment against the former KLA leaders may be appealed, while the legal proceedings are continuing at the appeals stage.

In his conversation with Lawler, Kurti also discussed relations between Kosovo and the US, investment, and the situation of Albanians in the Preševo Valley. Shaip Kamberi, an Albanian member of Serbia’s National Assembly, also joined the meeting.