Farizi: People who have been convicted should not be glorified in the Balkans

Political analyst Lulzim Farizi tells Kosovo Online that, regardless of where they live in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, we cannot come to terms with the judgments of the Hague Tribunal and the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.

Farizi also says that politics should “stay out” of the judgments and that they should not be commented on.

“The judgments were handed down on the basis of the evidence presented before the Hague court. So, I think politics should stay out of the judgments, and court judgments must not be commented on. They have the right to appeal, that is, those who have been convicted have the right to appeal until the judgment becomes final, but I think that politics should no longer be conducted around people who have been convicted before these courts, that is, before the specific court in The Hague. Because, somehow, in the Balkans, we can no longer hide them, that is, heal those wounds that have troubled us for many years, let us say 25–26 years. But this is an indication of that, that is, a message that everyone who violates the law, that is, international law, and who commits criminal offenses should be convicted,” Farizi says.

He further stresses that everyone should finally put an end to this story once and for all, because “for almost all the states, that is, the wars that took place in the Balkans, this chapter is already being closed.”

“I think the Balkans should open a new era of peace and prosperity, that is, European prosperity. In general, we have become accustomed to commenting on judgments in political terms, bearing in mind what happened in the past. Somehow, as peoples, regardless of who lives in the former Yugoslavia, we cannot come to terms with the judgments of the Hague Tribunal and the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. So, once and for all, we should stop being political commentators on judgments handed down by these international courts, bearing in mind that they should be, and are, independent, that is, that they hand down judgments solely on the basis of the evidence presented before them by the prosecution. So, in the Balkans, it is time to put an end to the mentality of glorifying people who have been convicted. Everyone should turn to international law, which everyone should respect,” Farizi says.