PRISTINA – Following the decision of the President of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi not to attend the meeting in the White House scheduled for 27 June after the Special Prosecutor’s Office in the Hague indicted him for war crimes and crimes against humanity, Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti will not go to the meeting in Washington either, KoSSev reported.
“Due to the new developments in Pristina as a result of the indictment submitted by the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office, I have to return to my country to deal with the situation”, Hoti wrote on his Twitter.
He added that he informed Ambassador Grenell that he could not attend the 27 June meeting at the White House, which was originally agreed upon between Thaçi and President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić.
Thaçi decided to cancel his trip to Washington DC after news broke that an indictment has been filed against him at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. The indictment, which is yet to be confirmed by a pre-trial judge, is said to accuse Thaçi of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and hold him criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders.
Grenell stated on Wednesday night that the White House meeting would still go ahead, with Hoti representing Kosovo and President Aleksandar Vučić representing Serbia.
Kosovo, but also the world public, was taken aback on Wednesday by the news that Special Prosecutor Jack Smith in Hague submitted an indictment to the court in The Hague against Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli and other persons for torturing, killing and beating more than 100 people.
The State Department said today that the United States believes the filing of a war crimes indictment is a step towards justice and the reconciliation process in the Western Balkans.