The Kosovo authorities set up the Kosovo Specialist Chambers war crimes court under powerful pressure from Western states. This week, the court convicted ex-President Hashim Thaci and four other wartime Kosovo Liberation Army leaders, sparking anger at home.

In his opinion article for Balkan Insight, Aidan Hehir argues that because the court only prosecuted Kosovo Albanians who fought for the KLA, not Serbs who committed war crimes, its reputation has been tainted in Kosovo and it is unlikely to ever help facilitate inter-community reconciliation.

Read more: Kosovo Verdict Reflects West’s Strategic Priorities, Not Pursuit of Justice (September 17, 2026)