Online media are carrying an interview Ramush Haradinaj, outgoing Prime Minister of Kosovo and leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), gave to the German daily paper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung where he spoke about his interview with Specialist Chambers, his resignation and opposition to the border changes idea.
Haradinaj said that his interview in The Hague lasted for about an hour and that on advice of his attorney, he did not reply to any of the questions. “Investigators opened issues they wanted to hear from me about, the early beginnings of the Kosovo Liberation Army and my role there. I was not confronted with specific allegations,” he said adding that he was not informed whether he would be indicted and that this was something that is up to the court to decide.
Asked to comment on the theory that the Specialist Chambers is an instrument aimed at ‘disciplining’ Kosovo politicians when they don’t heed the instructions from the western capitals, Haradinaj replied: “Being that I was twice indicted by the War Crimes Tribunal and twice acquitted, it was a big surprise for me when I was invited again. It is no secret that I have rejected border changes in our region, a project that has been supported by a part of the international community, as being very dangerous. This is why I say that the 100 percent tax on Serbian goods, imposed by the Government I led, will remain until Serbia recognises independence of Kosovo. Taking into consideration all these circumstances, of course there are many theories and speculations about how that invitation came for me.”
Haradinaj further said that he was aware of the consequences when introducing the import tax on Serbia, but that he was honest with the U.S. and the EU and told them that change of borders threatens stability in Kosovo and the region. “It is also very difficult to open our market to a neighbouring country which questions our existence and threatens us. This is why there is unity in Kosovo for the tax to remain until recognition.”
Haradinaj rejected claims that he resigned the post of prime minister because the ruling coalition was about to collapse. “This coalition was facing big challenges, but they did not affect my resignation. An invitation from a court however presents an entirely new chapter,” he said.
Haradinaj was also asked about the protection of witnesses and more specifically claims that witnesses who were supposed to testify against him either died or recalled their testimonies. He denied this being the case. “Serge Brammertz, former head of the War Crimes Tribunal [ICTY] was asked the same question in Belgrade in 2011 and he replied that in my case not a single witness was killed. In the second case against me in The Hague, the judges concluded that I made a call for witnesses not to be threatened. Of course witness protection is an issue in Kosovo but it has been proven it is wrong to link this to processes against me.”
