Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Don't scrap war crimes court, U.S. warns Kosovo
Source: Reuters
#WORLD NEWS DECEMBER 22, 2017 / 2:52 PM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO
Don't scrap war crimes court, U.S. warns Kosovo
Fatos Bytyci
3 MIN READ
PRISTINA (Reuters) - Any move by Kosovo to scrap a war crimes court linked to its independence struggle would seriously undermine relations with friendly western nations, its main backer the United States said on Friday.
Lawmakers from the governing coalition, who hold a majority, are pressing for a vote to abolish the court, which the parliamentary speaker said was scheduled for later in the day.
The Specialist Chamber was established in The Hague in 2015 to bring to justice Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) guerrillas alleged to have committed atrocities during the 1998-99 war that led to the country’s secession from Serbia. It has yet to hear any cases.
The country’s Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, President Hashim Thaci and parliamentary speaker Kadri Veseli are former KLA commanders.
The court’s judges and prosecutors are foreign but it has been set up under Kosovan law, giving Pristina jurisdiction over it.
-snip-
Don't scrap war crimes court, U.S. warns Kosovo
Fatos Bytyci
3 MIN READ
PRISTINA (Reuters) - Any move by Kosovo to scrap a war crimes court linked to its independence struggle would seriously undermine relations with friendly western nations, its main backer the United States said on Friday.
Lawmakers from the governing coalition, who hold a majority, are pressing for a vote to abolish the court, which the parliamentary speaker said was scheduled for later in the day.
The Specialist Chamber was established in The Hague in 2015 to bring to justice Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) guerrillas alleged to have committed atrocities during the 1998-99 war that led to the country’s secession from Serbia. It has yet to hear any cases.
The country’s Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, President Hashim Thaci and parliamentary speaker Kadri Veseli are former KLA commanders.
The court’s judges and prosecutors are foreign but it has been set up under Kosovan law, giving Pristina jurisdiction over it.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-kosovo-usa-court/dont-scrap-war-crimes-court-u-s-warns-kosovo-idUSKBN1EG26S