Prishtina, 22 October 2026, dtt-net.com – Kosovo’s newly elected President today has decided not to sign and decree the recent changes to the special war crimes court – sponsored and financed by the EU and the USA and located in The Hague – and has send it back to the Parliament for review following the request by the very same opposition party which pushed for changes approved earlier this month through massive daily protests of consecutive 18 days.
“Today, the President accepted the official proposal of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party of Kosovo [PDK], as sponsor of the law, to give the Assembly the opportunity to reconsider it, especially the provisions related to the jurisdiction and mandate of the Specialized Chambers, as well as the full guarantee of the constitutional rights of persons being tried before these Chambers,” the office of Justina Shiroka-Pula said in a press release.
The exact reasons for the request by the PDK remain unknown, and the party has not made public, yet what exactly is willing to change more or add to it.
PDK lawmakers and members have refused to clarify the real reasons and plans, despite multiple attempts of dtt-net.com seeking more details of their decision.
Changes of October 7 made under heavy tensions that night in the Parliament with the main ruling party of the Prime Minister Albin Kurti, are made following the verdict of September 16 by the panel of first instance made of European and American judges sentencing former President Hashim Thaçi and three others – also former leaders of the now disbanded KLA – on war crimes charges during the 1998-1999 war for liberation and independence from Serbia, then led by the late Slobodan Milosevic.
The European Union and its member states, especially Germany and France, have addressed strong disapproval of the changes made and sponsored by the PDK.
“… we express our deep concern over the adopted Law by the Kosovo Assembly, amending and supplementing the Law on the Specialist Chambers, which goes against Kosovo’s international obligations towards the EU,” an EU spokesperson had told dtt-net.com in a written response the same day changes passed in the Parliament.
In justifying the decision, President Shiroka-Pula “emphasized the sacrifice, commitment and contribution of the Kosovo Liberation Army and its leaders in the fight for the freedom and independence of Kosovo,” reads the press release of new President.
The office also did not clarify the real reason of the PDK asking her to return the changes of the law to the lawmakers.
Changes to the law approved on October 7, would limit the mandate of the court and hold retrial in Prishtina court, if the appeal panel would order a retrial, following the sentencing of 16 September to total 81 years on war crimes charges of the four former leaders of Kosovo guerilla.
At the same time, sources familiar with the changes of October 7 of the law have linked the resignation of party’s chairman Bedri Hamza with party’s request for review of the very same changes, but refused to clarify why and what exactly the party has requested the changes to be sent again to the Parliament for consideration.
Hamza has not clarified the reasons of his resignation so far.