Kosovo and Croatia declared that they cannot guarantee to release on parole former Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK) commanders indicted on war crimes and crimes against humanity at the Hague-based Kosovo Specialist Chambers.
The government of Kosovo argued that the state of origin of the accused cannot act as a guarantor.
“Based on the disposition, guarantees cannot be sought from a native state, neither from a prime minister of the state of origin (The Government of the Republic of Kosovo), from where the defendant is from, and to whom the Specialist Chambers belongs to. Therefore, Kosovo cannot serve as a guarantor, as it is being reported”.
The President of Croatia, Zoran Milanovic, also said that he cannot give any guarantees on former Kosovar President Hashim Thaçi.
“This is impossible, I cannot give such a guarantee as this is not under my competence”, he said at a press conference during a visit to Sisak.
“I am not an enemy of the Serbs, I’ve never been, and I will never be. I just think that this is harmful. Thaçi should either be charged or let alone in peace.”, said Milanovic.
He added that Croatia will not follow the same route as Hungary as an EU member, who granted asylum status to former Macedonian premier Nikola Gruevski who fled the country to avoid a two-year prison term on corruption charges.
Kai Ambos, one of the judges at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, sharing his opinion for turning down a bail release request, mentioned that in the future “third countries” may serve as potential guarantors for defendants.
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