PM welcomes Hague decision on ex-KLA

Serbia's Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic welcomed on Wednesday the Hague Tribunal decision to overturn its verdict that acquitted Ramush Haradinaj. The premier, who is visiting Bosnia today, told reporters in Sarajevo that he believed "new evidence against Haradinaj has been found". PM welcomes Hague decision on ex-KLA The ethnic Albanian, who was made Kosovo's prime minister after international administration was introduced to the province after the 1999 war there, was charged for war crimes committed in 1998, against Serbs, Roma, and also ethnic Albanians. Haradinaj was one of the leaders of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). He was arrested in Kosovo on Tuesday and transferred to The Hague. Cvetkovic expressed his satisfaction that the Tribunal "behaved according to facts". "I understood that Haradinaj's release was caused by a lack of evidence, and not his innocence. I presume that new evidence has been found," Cvetkovic stated. However, he stressed that he "did not wish to comment" on this, or any other decision made by the UN war crimes court. The Hague Appeals Chamber today reversed the original trial verdict that acquitted Haradinaj of all charges, explaining that the trial was characterized by witness intimidation, and ordered a retrial on six counts of the original indictment. Judge Patrick Robinson said as he announced the decision that the original trial chamber "failed to appreciate the gravity of the threat that witness intimidation posed to the trial's integrity". "Given the potential importance of these witnesses to the prosecution's case, the error undermined the fairness of the proceedings and resulted in a miscarriage of justice," Robinson was quoted as saying. Innocence and justice Ramush Haradinaj’s chief defense attorney Michael O’Reilly said that the defense was surprised by the decision to hold a retrial. He said that the defense is now working on getting Haradinaj back to Pristina as soon as possible. “For us it is important to first secure a quick return of Mr. Haradinaj to Kosovo, and second, to determine the date of the retrial as soon as possible,” O’Reilly said, according to a statement from Haradinaj’s political party, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo. “We believe in innocence and justice. We are surprised by the decision, taking into consideration the previous decision of the court that freed him from custody. Haradinaj’s defense will work on returning him home,” the party stated. O’Reilly was also quoted as saying that it should be taken into consideration that Haradinaj was freed of all charges two years ago. The lawyer further stated that the case "should be considered in a wider context". Haradinaj's statement made today in The Hague was also quoted: “Kosovo has made a lot of progress and we must believe in international institutions, despite some steps that lead backwards."

PM welcomes Hague decision on ex-KLA

The ethnic Albanian, who was made Kosovo's prime minister after international administration was introduced to the province after the 1999 war there, was charged for war crimes committed in 1998, against Serbs, Roma, and also ethnic Albanians.

Haradinaj was one of the leaders of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). He was arrested in Kosovo on Tuesday and transferred to The Hague.

Cvetković expressed his satisfaction that the Tribunal "behaved according to facts".

"I understood that Haradinaj's release was caused by a lack of evidence, and not his innocence. I presume that new evidence has been found," Cvetković stated.

However, he stressed that he "did not wish to comment" on this, or any other decision made by the UN war crimes court.

The Hague Appeals Chamber today reversed the original trial verdict that acquitted Haradinaj of all charges, explaining that the trial was characterized by witness intimidation, and ordered a retrial on six counts of the original indictment.

Judge Patrick Robinson said as he announced the decision that the original trial chamber "failed to appreciate the gravity of the threat that witness intimidation posed to the trial's integrity".

"Given the potential importance of these witnesses to the prosecution's case, the error undermined the fairness of the proceedings and resulted in a miscarriage of justice," Robinson was quoted as saying.

Innocence and justice

Ramush Haradinaj’s chief defense attorney Michael O’Reilly said that the defense was surprised by the decision to hold a retrial.

He said that the defense is now working on getting Haradinaj back to Priština as soon as possible.

“For us it is important to first secure a quick return of Mr. Haradinaj to Kosovo, and second, to determine the date of the retrial as soon as possible,” O’Reilly said, according to a statement from Haradinaj’s political party, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo.

“We believe in innocence and justice. We are surprised by the decision, taking into consideration the previous decision of the court that freed him from custody. Haradinaj’s defense will work on returning him home,” the party stated.

O’Reilly was also quoted as saying that it should be taken into consideration that Haradinaj was freed of all charges two years ago.

The lawyer further stated that the case "should be considered in a wider context".

Haradinaj's statement made today in The Hague was also quoted:

“Kosovo has made a lot of progress and we must believe in international institutions, despite some steps that lead backwards."