Gashi: Trials in The Hague marked by delays, verdict for Thaci expected this or early next year

Lawyer from Pristina, Tome Gashi stated that the work of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague has been marked by delays and expressed the expectation that a first-instance verdict in the key trial against Hashim Thaci and three other former KLA commanders could be issued by the end of this year or early next year at the latest.
"The prosecutor has presented all witnesses, and approximately by March or April this year, their testimony will be completed. Then comes the phase where defense attorneys and clients propose and examine defense witnesses. I believe the trial will be completed during this year or possibly even at the beginning of the next," Gashi said to Kosovo Online.
Commenting on the court's work so far, Gashi described it as characterized by delays.
"We all know it has been prolonged. However, considering the fact that this special court can also be treated as an international one, cases involving criminal offenses and accusations of war crimes and other crimes have never concluded in trials lasting less than five years. I have repeatedly pointed out that these trials will last a very long time and that proceedings before the Specialist Court will continue for at least another year to a year and a half," Gashi stated.
Commenting on Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu's statement that an international or domestic mechanism should be created to at least monitor the rights of the accused, court impartiality, and other circumstances, Gashi described the proposal as good but currently unfeasible.
"That would be very beneficial, but for now, it is almost impossible because it is not provided for in the Law on the Specialist Court," Gashi said.
He believes that this should have been considered by the members of parliament who voted on August 2, 2015, to establish the Specialist Chambers and Prosecutor's Office.
"They should have thought then about what would happen with this court, who would have jurisdiction, how it would operate... In Kosovo, we have the Judicial Council, but that institution has no authority when it comes to the Specialist Court based in the Netherlands, in The Hague," Gashi emphasized.
0 comments