Outgoing Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj spoke to the media outside the Specialist Chambers offices in The Hague following his interview. He said that on legal advice, he invoked the right to remain silent and not answer any questions.
“This concludes all my legal obligations towards the Court,” he said.
To the question of what he was asked about in the interview, Haradinaj said he was not informed about what case he was being interviewed and that “on legal counsel, I was advised not to enter into discussions.” He said however that it was about his role in the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) but “nothing more concrete than that.”
“I will respect any legal obligation, at any given time and it is important for us to set an example of respect for the rule of law.”
Haradinaj said he would remain faithful to the law also in his political activity. “I have reiterated many times, we want a dialogue without conditions immediately, an agreement on recognition with Serbia, the market for recognition naturally, and no other formulas which are unacceptable for Kosovo.”
Asked about the future course of action, Haradinaj said the prosecution did not present him with any other request and that he didn’t expect an indictment against him. “The reason why I resigned has to do with the notion of the state and sovereignty. I did not want to come in the capacity of a head of a government. Ramush Haradinaj came here today. Since I have no more obligations, I will return like my other colleagues in politics, I will offer myself to the citizens with the options and issues of interest to us.”
He admitted that his resignation may have an impact on dialogue with Serbia. “We were forced to resign, head to elections at a time when the focus could have been better put somewhere else, we had to, so to say, reopen internal issues. Fortunately, there is stability in Kosovo, fortunately there is democracy,” he said.