Prosecutors at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers accuse Hashim Thaci and four others of obstruction of justice and influencing witnesses in Thaci’s war crimes trial in The Hague.

Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and co-accused Fadil Fazliu and Bashkim Smakaj appeared in court at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague on Sunday on charges of obstructing justice and interfering with witnesses in Thaci’s ongoing trial for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Pre-trial judge Marjorie Masselot remanded all three in custody for two months, saying there is a risk they could abscond, obstruct proceedings or repeat the offences. However, Thaci is already in detention during his trial.

Thaci told the court that the new indictment was unexpected and he cannot enter a plea immediately because he has not been able to thoroughly discuss the new charges yet.

His defence argued that he will not flee justice, noting that he stepped down as president in 2020 to face the charges against him.

“Even today I believe in and respect the constitution and Kosovo’s laws,” Thaci said.

Judge Masselot rejected a proposal that Smakaj, the former head of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, be released on 5,000 euros’ bail.

Like Thaci, Smakaj decided not to enter a plea on Sunday because he needed more time to review the allegations, saying that “I do not have all the necessary materials to plead today”.

The only defendant who entered a plea was Fazliu, who said that “I am innocent. I plead not guilty.”

Two other defendants are also charged in the case – Isni Kilaj, former mayor of Malisheve/Malisevo, and Hajredin Kuci, former justice minister and former deputy prime minister. Their first court appearance has been scheduled for Monday.

Smakaj, Fazliu, Kilaj, and Kuci were arrested in Kosovo on December 5.

The Specialist Chambers are trying wartime Kosovo Liberation Army fighters on war crimes charges. The Hague-based court is part of Kosovo’s judicial system but located in The Hague and staffed by internationals, partly because of fears that witnesses could be intimidated after incidents in previous Kosovo war-related trials at the UN’s Yugoslav war crimes tribunal.

The Specialist Chambers were established under pressure from the country’s Western allies, who believed Kosovo’s justice system was not robust enough to try KLA-related cases and protect witnesses. However, many Kosovo Albanians believe the court is ethnically biased and denigrates the KLA’s just war against Serbian repression.

In his ongoing trial, Thaci is charged with individual and command responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 1998-99 Kosovo war together with three co-accused. They have all pleaded not guilty.