The war crimes that were committed in the 1990s in the territory of the former Yugoslavia constitute one of the major challenges for regional security and for the bilateral policy of the current Balkan states. In this respect, despite the passing of more than two decades, it is still an open question to judge the crimes committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army (Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës, UÇK) in the late 1990s and to define the role of Kosovo's leading politician - Hashim Thaçi in these events. In June 2020, the Prosecutor's Office of the Special Judicial Chamber of Kosovo in The Hague brought charges against the then President of Kosovo for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Kosovo in 1998-1999. Following serious accusations, Thaçi stepped down as a leader of Kosovo and is now awaiting further proceedings in the Hague custody.

Wiktor Hebda

KBN Analysis no. 3 (83) / 2021

8 March 2021

The war crimes that were committed in the 1990s in the territory of the former Yugoslavia constitute one of the major challenges for regional security and for the bilateral policy of the current Balkan states. In this respect, despite the passing of more than two decades, it is still an open question to judge the crimes committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army (Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës, UÇK) in the late 1990s and to define the role of Kosovo's leading politician - Hashim Thaçi in these events. In June 2020, the Prosecutor's Office of the Special Judicial Chamber of Kosovo in The Hague brought charges against the then President of Kosovo for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Kosovo in 1998-1999. Following serious accusations, Thaçi stepped down as a leader of Kosovo and is now awaiting further proceedings in the Hague custody.

In the photo: Hashim Thaçi.

Photo credit: Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)