Croatia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had taken note of the Hague verdict against former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders.

“Croatia takes note of the first-instance judgment of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. The judgment remains subject to appeal, and we do not wish to prejudge the final outcome of the proceedings,” the ministry said in an official statement.

At the same time, the ministry said the verdict does not change the historical context of the war in Kosovo.

It also stressed that Kosovo and its population suffered repression and serious crimes under Slobodan Milosevic’s regime.

“This judgment does not change the historical context of the war in Kosovo or the fact that Kosovo and its population were victims of repression and serious crimes committed by the Milosevic regime,” the ministry said.

Croatia also stressed that individual responsibility should not relativize those crimes.

“Individual responsibility for specific persons cannot serve as a basis for relativizing these crimes or questioning Kosovo’s freedom and independence,” the statement concluded.

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