
The Croatian Foreign Ministry has reacted to the first-instance verdict of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague against former KLA leaders. The ministry says the decision is not final and the judgment does not change the historical context of the war in Kosovo.
"Croatia takes note of the first instance judgment of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. This is a non-final judgment and we do not wish to prejudge the final outcome of the proceedings," the response states.
The Croatian ministry emphasizes that the verdict does not change the historical context of the war in Kosovo and the fact that Kosovo and its population were victims of repression and serious crimes of the Slobodan Milosevic regime.
"At the same time, this verdict does not change the historical context of the wars in Kosovo, nor the fact that Kosovo and its population were victims of repression and serious crimes of the Milosevic regime.
"The individual responsibility of certain persons cannot serve as a basis for relativizing these crimes, or for questioning the freedom and independence of Kosovo," the reaction concludes.