A week passed since former Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj received indictment by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, resigned from his position and voluntary departed to The Hague. On his first appearance before the international war crimes tribunal on Monday morning 14th of March he said that he does not feel guilty for any of 37 charges he's accused for by the tribunal - 17 counts of crimes against humanity and 20 counts of violations of the laws or customs of war. Before leaving Kosovo MR. Hardinaj addressed Kosovo citizens saying that he has accepted indictment, that he will go to The Hague but that he does not feel guilty for the charges against him but also saying that he does not think that this is a setback for Kosovo. A week after, by summarising reactions of ordinary Kosovo Albanians on the Prime Minister's indictment by The Hague tribunal and everything that followed anyone could say that Kosovo Albanians feel proud on Mr. Haradinaj's behaviour and how her acted from the moment he received indictment, till the moment he left Kosovo heading to the Hague. Majority in Kosovo does not question is the former Prime Minister guilty for the crimes he is charged for or not. Actually, ordinary people have seen in Haradinaj's behaviour a proof of political maturity, cooperation proven to international community, but also a lesson given to official Belgrade and its policy toward The Hague by showing what cooperation with ICTY really means. Former Kosovo Prime Minister, and there is no doubt about it here among Kosovo Albanians, did a great job in 100 days of his governance. Many Kosovans regret his departure to The Hague because they see lost of a manager with a great management skills. In his example he has shown transformation from former guerrilla leader of Kosovo Liberation Army to politician. Would Kosovo have its next Prime Minister that would have the energy and to know how to mobilise Government in the best way to work for the benefit of citizens of Kosovo is difficult to say, but Haradinaj's 100 days of governance left the impression that was the one. Ordinary Kosovans are even more disappointed with the fact that at the point when Kosovo Prime Minister could have given his contribution to full standards achievement and leading the Government with the best of his possibilities - he is by The Hague indicted for the war crimes. Posters with "Our Prime has a job to do here" inscription hanged up in public places these days speak for it but also send a message to international community too. But, on the other hand the question that hasn't been asked so far is - did former Kosovo Prime Minister have had any other choices except to receive indictment and to go to The Hague voluntary if charged by ICTY ? And also - what could have had been consequences for Kosovo if he have hadn't decided to do so?
Former Kosovo Prime Minister called for situation to stay calm before he left Kosovo but also his father did too after Mr. Haradinaj went to The Hague. Many think that the escalation of violence will only jeopardize Kosovo's position and therefore a large scale demonstrations announced by the War veterans association to take place on Monday 14th of March, when the former Kosovo Prime Minister had his first appearance in the front of The Hague tribunal where cancelled. Previously, the UCK War Associations â the UCK Veterans Organization, Invalids' Association, and Association of War Martyrs officials stated that the indictment against Ramush Haradinaj is an insult against the entire Albanian nation and that these organizations will choose democratic forms of citizens' disobedience for protesting against desecration of the war values of the UCK. Even saying so they decided to indefinitely postpone large scale demonstrations announced earlier saying that they actually expect concrete steps from Kosovo institutions and not only a political vocabulary with repeated words, like supporting Haradinaj. But also, in the statement given to media War Veteran Associations confirmed previously stated stance about their intention to show citizen disobedience. Last weekend visiting the municipalities of Dukagjini region ( western Kosovo) and Ramush Haradinaj's family, The SRSG Soren Jessen-Petersen said that any violence would damage the achievements that Haradinaj made during the 100 days in the post of Prime Minister and also betray his sacrifices. And while Kosovo is going through its very difficult period, its talks about the new Prime Minister and Government, media do not record significant statements in Serbia proper regarding Kosovo Prime Minister's inducement to The Hague in the first days after it. Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica in his first reactions said that now after the indictment was confirmed the most important is to contribute to stability in Kosovo. He also said" Serbian Government will give its full contribution bearing in mind that our vital interest is stabilization and improvement of general situation in Kosovo" Serbian President Boris Tadic in this respect said that everyone who is accused for the war crimes should respond to The Hague. He also said that this situation with Kosovo Prime Minister's indictment to The Hague should not be used for the daily political purposes and called for composure and abstention whit which the stability of the country and region would have not been harmed. Oliver Ivanovic, leader of Serbian List for Kosovo and Metohija said that the reactions of Serbian Government officials where as such in order not to irritate Kosovo public opinion but also to secure that nothing unwilling, and for sure nothing like that happened last March will happen to Kosovo Serbs. On the other hand Kosovo Serbs followed Ramush Haradinaj's indictment to The Hague without major reactions and without giving it a lot of space in discussion it. The most common comments among Kosovo Serbs in this regard where actually related to the SRSG's behaviour that was more, than appropriate, emotional, but this was also the remarque given to the SRSG by international community too. Some think others think that such SRSG's statements aimed to console radical Albanians and to prevent possible escalation of violence. These days Kosovo politicians on the closed meetings, its intellectuals and political analysts' trough columns and articles in newspapers are looking for its new Prime Minister and a Government that will lead Kosovo in its most important times - in the year when the standards achievement will be assessed and when the talks about Kosovo final status will start. The opinions range from the ones that support LDK- AAK coalition and think that this coalition will stay in power to the ones that think that only wider coalition ( with PDK and ORA on bord) and more inclusive one will be better solution. This is not an easy decision of power share that have to be made especially when its known Kosovo's current political context. International community representatives, especially the ones that come from EU are advocating for more inclusive Government. What ever is the decision that is taken in this regard; the new Prime Minister and the Government have to be the factor of stability and ready for what Kosovo will face in this year as its biggest challenges. Biserka Ivanovic http://www.osservatoriobalcani.org/article/articleview/4016/1/51/ Serbian News Network - SNN news@antic.org http://www.antic.org/
