PRISTINA, Kosovo — Hashim Thaci, the former president of Kosovo currently facing charges of war crimes, was temporarily permitted to leave custody and visit his father’s grave on Friday.
His father passed away recently, and this visit took place under the supervision of a court based in the Netherlands.
Thaci did not attend the funeral held earlier this week, a ceremony marked by the presence of various political leaders from Kosovo and neighboring Albania.
Following complaints from Kosovo Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu to the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague about Thaci’s absence, the court allowed his temporary release.
At his father’s burial site in the village of Buroje, 70 kilometers west of Pristina, Thaci placed a wreath inscribed with words reflecting a farewell message.
He was accompanied by officers from the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX).
After this visit, he went to his home, where he could meet only with close family members.
Details regarding when he would return to the custody of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers were not provided immediately.
Thaci’s father, Haxhi Thaci, passed on March 16 at the age of 87.
Just days before his death, Hashim Thaci had received permission for a brief visit to see his ailing father at a Pristina hospital, accompanied by close relatives.
Since November 2020, Hashim Thaci and several senior officials from the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) have been under custody in The Hague.
They face severe allegations, including murder, torture, and acts of persecution related to the 1998-1999 conflict for Kosovo’s independence from Serbia.
The court was established following a 2011 report from the Council of Europe, a human rights organization that highlighted allegations involving KLA fighters.
These accusations included the trafficking of human organs removed from prisoners and the murder of Serbs and Albanians.
However, the organ trafficking allegations have not appeared in the formal indictments issued by the court.
During the Kosovo conflict, approximately 11,400 people, predominantly ethnic Albanians, lost their lives.
The conflict concluded following a 78-day NATO air campaign targeting Serbian forces, yet tensions between Kosovo and Serbia persist.
In 2008, Kosovo declared itself independent from Serbia, a declaration not recognized by Serbia, Russia, and China.
Efforts to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia commenced in 2011, facilitated by the European Union, but these efforts have resulted in limited progress.
