The trial of four former KLA leaders is nearing its end, after a long period of testimony. The legal battle between the prosecution and the defense is coming to an end. Justice institutes in Kosovo assess that defense witnesses with high military and diplomatic positions have provided undeniable evidence confirming that the KLA was a volunteer army with a horizontal hierarchy, providing credible evidence during the war.

The largest trial in the Special Court against four former KLA leaders is drawing to a close, concluding a long marathon of testimony and the legal battle between the prosecution and the defense. The limited number of defense witnesses, but with high military and diplomatic positions representing the American state, have given weighty testimony.

The Humanitarian Rights Fund assesses that the evidence has confirmed the defense, that the Kosovo Liberation Army had a horizontal hierarchy.

"Their presence and the witnesses' direct contacts with President Thaçi and other KLA actors, their knowledge and the information that these witnesses have shared with the trial panel, will have a special weight. In the end, the trial panel will evaluate all statements, whether from the prosecution or the defense," Amer Alija, from the FDHK, told RTK.

While this process is considered a legal battle between the prosecution and the defense regarding these two forms of responsibility, command responsibility and joint criminal enterprise, legal experts say that defense witnesses have provided undeniable evidence of the fact that the KLA was a volunteer army.

"The defense witnesses have given undeniable evidence to the fact that the KLA was a volunteer army, created by the people and without a clear hierarchy. Each of them has testified to the role of Hashim Thaçi during the indictment period," claimed Blendina Veliqi, IKL.

Experts expect the verdict to be announced in the spring or early summer, with the behavior of the witnesses and the coherence of their accounts being decisive factors.

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