The former political representative of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Bardhyl Mahmuti, has reacted regarding the withdrawal of lawyer Ben Emmerson from the defense of Kadri Veseli in the Special Court.

Mahmuti, through a post on his profile on the Facebook social network, wrote that the removal of Emmerson from the defense is the heaviest blow given to the KLA war.

Bardhyl Mahmuti, among other things, said that while we are silent about this, the Argats of Serbia do their own work.

"The stabbings in the back of the KLA continue. The actions that forced the world-renowned lawyer, Ben Emmerson, to withdraw from the fabricated court process against the KLA in The Hague is the most severe blow that has been dealt to the defense of the liberation war of Kosovo. We are silent while the Argats of Serbia do their work", Mahmuti wrote.

Lawyer Ben Emmerson left Kadri Veseli's defense on Wednesday, August 21.

"On August 21, 2024, the Trial Panel in the case of Thaçi and others approved the termination of the legal representation of Kadri Vesel by defense attorney Ben Emerson. Veseli and Emerson agreed with this decision, causing the Trial Panel to approve the termination of legal representation for valid reasons. Also, the Judicial Panel was convinced that the continuity of Vesel's representation will be ensured and that the change of the chief defense attorney will not cause delays in the judicial process", it was stated in the Special's announcement.

Veseli and Emmerson agreed to separate due to the "irrevocable breakdown of their client-attorney relationship," according to the release.

Further in the announcement it was said that the dismissal of the chief defender will not cause delays in the judicial process.

https://kosovapress.com/ben-emmerson-largohet-nga-ekipi-mbrojtes-i-kadri-veslit

And, after the announcement of the Special, the Ministry of Justice of Kosovo (MOJ) issued a reaction regarding the departure of Ben Emmerson, saying that it denies the "groundless and tendentious news that are being spread about payments to lawyers" engaged in the defense of to the former heads of the KLA at the Specialized Chambers in The Hague.

In the reaction of the MoD, it was said that people who withdraw from their duties can find various excuses, but low salary is not one of them.

According to the MD, the lawyer Ben Emmerson, who represents Kadri Veselin, has benefited from the Ministry of Justice an amount of 4,019,724.91 euros (four million nineteen thousand seven hundred and twenty-four euros and ninety-one cents).

https://kosovapress.com/ministria-e-drejtesise-tregon-sa-para-pagoi-per-avokatin-ben-emmerson