EULEX building under siege in Pristina: Albanians carrying KLA flags break through fence after Thaci verdict

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After the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague pronounced multi-year prison sentences for four former KLA ("Kosovo Liberation Army") leaders, the situation on the streets of Pristina suddenly escalated.

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Dissatisfied with the guilty verdicts sentencing Hashim Thaci, Jakup Krasniqi, Kadri Veseli, and Rexhep Selimi to a total of 81 years in prison, a group of demonstrators attacked the headquarters of the EU mission in Pristina, EULEX.

The videos, which are spreading at lightning speed on social networks, show dramatic scenes in front of the EULEX complex. The crowd, demonstrating against the verdicts handed down to the former KLA leaders, attacked and broke through the first protective fence, while holding KLA flags.

Police forces and security personnel tried to defend themselves from the most aggressive individuals and prevented a violent entry into the building itself.

Organizations with roots in the KLA and supporters of the four convicts have repeatedly claimed that the court in The Hague is "unfair and politically motivated", while today's verdicts was received with stormy reactions throughout Kosovo and Metohija.

Security services and international missions have raised their preparedness to the highest level in fear of additional protests in other towns.

Thaci was sentenced to 25 years in prison, while Veseli, Selimi and Krasniqi received sentences of 18, 13 and 25 years, respectively. These are first instance sentences and the defense has the right to appeal.

(Telegraf.rs)