Shahini: Kosovo will face considerable problems if Hague court judgment is upheld

President of the Kosovo Business Alliance Agim Shahini assessed that Kosovo would face considerable problems if the Specialist Chambers’ judgment imposing prison sentences on former KLA leaders were upheld, as key figures in Kosovo would remain imprisoned for criminal offenses.

Shahini told Kosovo Online that the judgment handed down in The Hague against four former KLA commanders had changed “the entire image of the Kosovo state” in the eyes of the West.

“If these decisions remain in force, if our commanders, our former President and Speaker of Parliament, and all the others who held office remain in prison, then we will face considerable problems because key figures in Kosovo are in prison for criminal offenses. Even though the Specialist Court was not established to deal with matters of this kind, but solely with issues arising from Dick Marty’s report, which were not addressed at all,” Shahini told Kosovo Online.

In his view, there is a possibility that the Court’s judgment could also affect Kosovo’s prospects of securing new recognitions, as well as lead some countries to withdraw their recognition.

He said that obtaining new recognitions from various countries would be difficult because there were two problems.

“The first is that we do not have functioning institutions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not going anywhere to seek recognition, while we also do not have a President when it comes to foreign policy. At the same time, domestic politics is not in a good situation either. The second problem that will arise if the Court’s judgment becomes final is that many countries will consider whether or not to invest further in Kosovo. We will see about that. There are several powerful countries that have their own interests and continue to support Kosovo. Kosovo will remain what it is, but when it comes to further integration and new recognitions, Kosovo’s entire foreign policy apparatus genuinely needs to be mobilized, and it has not been functioning for more than two years,” Shahini said.

According to him, the daily protests against the judgment could influence public opinion, but he did not believe they would change the position of the Court, which, he claimed, had lacked arguments and had imposed the sentences “for political reasons.”

“I believe a political decision is needed for them to be released and for everything to be put right. The appeal proceedings are next. We do not know what will happen,” Shahini said.