"The only fair decision is innocence"/ Thaçi in The Hague: SPO tries to refute the testimonies of senior officials

2026-02-18 14:48:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

"The only fair decision is innocence"/ Thaçi in The Hague: SPO

Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi delivered his speech on the final day of his trial in The Hague. Thaçi once again declared his innocence and expressed his condolences for all the victims.

In his speech, Thaçi said that he was not making plans to take control of Kosovo, but decided to return to his homeland while he saw how his people were being exterminated. The former Prime Minister of Kosovo stated that his only opponent was Slobodan Miloševi? and in 1999 the only one who had control of Kosovo was the Miloševi? regime.

Thaçi said that it was Milosevic who started the war in Kosovo, while the people of Kosovo only wanted peace and freedom, which would not have been possible without NATO intervention.

The former KLA leader said that the SPO is trying to refute the testimonies of senior officials.

At the end of his speech, Thaçi called on the court to make a decision in accordance with the laws of Kosovo, and this decision would be complete acquittal.

Thaçi's speech

I am innocent. I express my condolences to all the victims. I was not making plans to take control of Kosovo, I was a student. Milosevic was making plans, for a new genocide.

Seeing the massacres against my people, I could not remain indifferent. I decided to return to Kosovo, a personal decision of mine, no one else's. I could not stand by while my people faced extermination.

It is also unfair to the efforts of NATO, with which I worked closely. Let me repeat an eternal truth, my only opponent was Slobodan Milosevic. During the war I did not know if I would be alive from hour to hour, I was not sure if I would see my family. Let alone then exercise control in occupied Kosovo. I did not return to risk my life for control and power, I returned to the Homeland for freedom and peace.

The question that arises today is, taking control from whom. The truth is that control was in the iron hands of Milosevic. Our mission was survival, freedom and peace. I had no illusions at all, but our only hope for salvation was the democratic world, the USA and NATO. My focus was on building and strengthening this alliance.

Milosevic had started the war in Kosovo, we were only defending ourselves. If it were not for NATO's decision, there would have been neither freedom nor independence for Kosovo.

I was not the one who transported the resistance from the West to Kosovo, I joined it. The reason why the KLA was gaining mass was Milosevic. The KLA was not a state army, it was a popular organization defending itself against an aggressor.

I would not risk our collective existence. The goal was peace, not war.

When the democratic world called for Rambouillet, we decided to respond positively. We accepted the agreement even though it did not meet all the demands. Kosovo chose peace, Serbia chose war.

During this entire time, the only power I had at this time was the power of my voice.

What I was doing had physical and electoral consequences, but Kosovo was more important. I used my voice to call for peace and tolerance.

This prosecution is trying to refute the testimonies of high-ranking officials. This prosecution claims that I have been misleading them throughout the war. This prosecution is promoting fabricated testimonies from the era of the Milosevic regime.

I have only one prayer, that the decision be in accordance with the laws of Kosovo. The only fair decision is complete innocence./CNA