Speaking on the latest episode of his Let’s Talk podcast with professor Arjan Gjonçaj, Rama discussed the ongoing proceedings at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and said he has not directly raised the matter with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Rama suggested that Kurti may have refrained from taking a public stance to avoid complicating Kosovo’s relations with the European Union and the United States, noting that Albania had contributed mainly through advocacy and raising awareness.

“I believe he may have been cautious not to appear as challenging the international system, given his open opposition to the Tribunal,” Rama said.

The government head emphasized that he does not hold any official position in Kosovo and has no intention of interfering in its internal affairs.

Rama concluded by reiterating his and Gjonçaj’s “strong wish” that the former KLA leaders will one day return home.

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Thaçi, former parliament speakers Kadri Veseli and Jakup Krasniqi, and former lawmaker Rexhep Selimi are charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the 1998-99 conflict. All four have pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution, which has already concluded its closing statements, has sought 45-year prison sentences for each of the accused. Counsel representing victims have urged judges to ensure their voices are reflected in the verdict.

Thaçi’s lawyer, Luka Misetic, opened his closing statement by telling the court that the former president is innocent and that this should be the starting point for deliberations.

“When you begin your deliberations, you will start from the position that Hashim Thaçi is not guilty, and then assess whether the evidence presented by the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office has convinced you, beyond reasonable doubt, that he is guilty,” Misetic told the judges.

He criticised the prosecution’s case, saying it had disregarded evidence that undermined its claims.

“When one analyses the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office’s final brief, it is like reading a review of a film written by someone who has not seen the film,” he said.

Misetic referred to testimony from international witnesses who, he said, stated that Thaçi was not suspected of war crimes at the time the alleged events were taking place.

“You heard from international witnesses who said that Hashim Thaçi was not suspected of war crimes while these events were unfolding,” he said, adding that such witnesses had been informed through diplomatic and intelligence sources as well as their own dealings with Thaçi.

Those who testified for the defence include former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Wesley Clark, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Rubin and retired U.S. diplomat Christopher Hill.

The case concerns crimes allegedly committed between March 1998 and September 1999 at several locations in Kosovo and in northern Albania.

Following the conclusion of closing arguments, the case will be submitted to the trial panel. Judges have three months to deliver a verdict or to request an extension of the deadline.

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In a social media post, Rama described the prosecution’s request as a “burial alive” of the former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders, saying he was still grappling to understand the reasoning behind the prosecution’s request.

“Friends from Prishtina ask me why I am not speaking about my friend who today faces 45 years in the prosecution’s sentencing request. I cannot comment yet, as I am still trying to figure out the logic that led the prosecution to seek such sentences and the burial alive of these four men,” Rama wrote.

The government head said he needed more time to process the prosecution’s position before commenting further.

The case involves alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed between March 1998 and September 1999 in various locations in Kosovo and northern Albania. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Special Prosecutor Kimberly West asked that each defendant be sentenced to 45 years, stressing that the charges remain serious and have not diminished over time.

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In a statement, Spiropali referred to proceedings involving former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, former parliament speakers Kadri Veseli and Jakup Krasniqi, and former lawmaker Rexhep Selimi.

She said the length of their pre-trial detention, now exceeding five years without a final verdict, and the nature of the charges raised serious questions about proportionality, due process standards and respect for fundamental human rights.

Spiropali underlined that the situation risked reinforcing perceptions of one-sided severity in the handling of the case, particularly when compared with the treatment of those responsible for crimes committed by the Serbian security apparatus during the Kosovo conflict.

“Even today, many crimes committed by Serbian forces against Kosovo’s civilian population remain unaddressed and without full criminal accountability,” she said, adding that such imbalance risks creating perceptions of double standards and undermining public trust in international justice.

Spiropali said international justice must be impartial, balanced and based on indisputable evidence, warning that justice perceived as selective could damage public confidence and hinder reconciliation in a region still in need of lasting peace.

She said the KLA has been a liberation movement that enjoyed broad international support in confronting a regime that carried out systematic violence, ethnic cleansing and widely documented crimes against civilians. Any judicial process addressing individuals from that conflict, she said, must clearly distinguish between individual criminal responsibility and the historical character of the war for liberation.

Spiropali said the court bore a particular responsibility to ensure that the proceedings did not unjustly undermine the liberation struggle, Kosovo’s independence history or the dignity of those who fought for freedom.

“Only a fair decision, grounded in evidence and the highest standards of justice, can dispel the heavy shadow cast over the historical memory of a just war,” she said.

Albania, Spiropali added, believes justice should serve truth and reconciliation, not create narratives that rewrite history or relativise internationally recognised responsibility for crimes committed during the Kosovo war.

She called for the proceedings to be concluded within a reasonable timeframe and in full accordance with international fair trial standards, saying Kosovo’s future and regional stability depend on credible justice that strengthens peace rather than perceptions of injustice.

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In a social media post, PM Rama said Rubin’s words exposed how a “paralyzing judicial process has deeply stained international justice.”

“Freedom has a name,” Rama wrote, quoting Rubin’s testimony at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.

Rubin, who served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State during the Kosovo war, criticized the length and nature of the proceedings.

“The fact that the defendant has been in detention for five years – after voluntarily turning himself in at a time when he was preparing to make peace with the Serbian leader – concerns me. The idea that politics could interfere with the rule of law, that troubles me,” Rubin said.

“Why should someone willing to appear before the court in every possible way be imprisoned for five years before the trial even begins? It struck me as inconsistent with the rule of law we hoped would emerge through international justice,” he said, referring to the legacy of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the Rwanda tribunal, established under Secretary Madeleine Albright.

Rubin went on to criticize what he described as “collective blame” placed on the KLA leadership. “This felt like collective guilt, just because Thaçi was the KLA leader. I spent three days observing the KLA command structure in their mountain base – something few outsiders did – and saw how it operated, who was in charge, and how decisions were made. What I witnessed does not resemble justice,” he said.

Rubin emphasized that he was not a lawyer, but that he was entitled to express his opinion. “This is my view. I’m not a lawyer, but I believe I have the right to my opinion,” he added.

Rubin’s testimony, which began on September 15, continues this week. He is the first defense witness in Thaçi’s trial.

The indictment against Thaçi and other former senior KLA figures – Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi, and Rexhep Selimi – was made public in autumn 2020. They have been held in pre-trial detention in The Hague since then. The trial began in April 2023.

Judges have asked defense teams to submit final written arguments by December 22.

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“The presentation of defense witnesses will help dispel the false stains on the name of the KLA. Justice must finally overcome injustice,” Spiropali said in a public statement.

She warned against “equating guilt with the freedom the KLA brought,” calling such a comparison “shameful.” Spiropali said the defense phase should clear “fantasy stains” on the KLA’s name.

James Rubin, a former U.S. State Department official and spokesperson during the Kosovo war, was the first witness called by the defense of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi. Rubin testified that neither Thaçi nor Jakup Krasniqi had been implicated in any alleged executions or killings, according to investigations he was familiar with.

Former President Ashim Thaçi, Parliament Speaker Jakup Krasniqi, and former top officials Kadri Veseli and Rexhep Selimi are on trial for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 1998–1999 conflict. All four have pleaded not guilty.

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Speaking during cross-examination by Krasniqi’s defense lawyer, Rubin said U.S. investigations at the time, as well as subsequent inquiries over the past two decades, revealed no information supporting such claims.

“We found no evidence, no information, no indication that connected either Mr. Thaçi or Mr. Krasniqi to such allegations,” Rubin said, adding that he had asked many knowledgeable sources over the years without receiving any confirmation.

Rubin, who served as spokesperson and Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 1997 to 2000, described Thaçi and Krasniqi as moderate leaders who supported the 1999 Rambouillet peace agreement. He said both men were seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict and Western support, as opposed to hardliners who opposed the deal and risked mass civilian casualties.

Rubin said his direct contact with Krasniqi had been minimal, while Thaçi was the main point of contact from the Kosovo Albanian delegation at Rambouillet. He recalled that Thaçi was concerned about not having full authority to sign the agreement without consulting military leaders on the ground.

Rubin’s testimony was part of the defense case for former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, who is standing trial alongside other former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders for alleged war crimes.

Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Jakup Krasniqi and Rexhep Selimi plead not guilty to war-crimes charges. The defense began calling witnesses today.

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