The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said that the charges brought by the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office against former KLA leaders for crimes against humanity do not hold.

He stated that the former KLA leaders are being accused unfairly because they dared to take up arms for freedom against a genocidal regime.

Speaking at the solemn session of the Kosovo Assembly in honor of the 18th anniversary of Independence, Kurti said that crimes against humanity against the Albanian civilian population were committed by Serbia under Slobodan Milosevic, adding that the threat of their repetition comes from Serbia under Aleksandar Vucic.

“As we remember the date of the Republic’s declaration, we are concerned that the leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army and the Republic of Kosovo are being unfairly accused because they dared to take up arms for freedom against centuries-long oppression and a genocidal regime. The charges from the Specialist Prosecutor in The Hague for crimes against humanity do not hold. They ignore the historical and political context of the liberation war, to which we owe today’s freedom. Crimes against humanity against the Albanian population were committed by Serbia under Milosevic. The threat of their repetition today comes from Serbia under Vucic. Equating the KLA leaders with a genocidal regime is untenable and unacceptable for us,” said Kurti.

In addition, Kurti said that Kosovo will not yield when it comes to the issue of state sovereignty.

“The Republic does not yield when it comes to state sovereignty, territorial integrity, and popular democracy. Democracy is the source and expression of Kosovo’s sovereignty,” Kurti emphasized.