Kosovo's President Hashim Thaci is pictured during a news conference as he resigns to face war crimes charges at a special court based in the Hague, in Pristina, Kosovo, November 5, 2020. REUTERS/Laura Hasani
Pristina - Kosovo President Hashim Thaci resigned Thursday to face a war crimes court in The Hague, which confirmed an indictment against him dating back to Kosovo's 1990s conflict with Serbia.
"I will not allow under any circumstances that I appear before court as the president of the Republic of Kosovo.
Therefore, in order to protect the integrity of the office of the president and the country, as well as the dignity of the citizens, I resign from the position of president of the Republic of Kosovo," he told a press conference.
Thaci, who was political chief of Kosovo's rebel forces during the war, was accused by prosecutors earlier this year of crimes including murder, enforced disappearance of persons, persecution, and torture.
