Portion of EULEX Compound Set Ablaze During Protests Over Convictions of Former KLA Leaders

A portion of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) compound in Pristina caught fire late on Wednesday after protesters attacked the facility with pyrotechnic devices and other objects, Kosovo police said. The blaze was described as small and was extinguished promptly by authorities; no injuries were reported. The incident occurred amid large-scale demonstrations sparked by verdicts and prison sentences delivered by the Specialist Chambers in The Hague against four former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).

Hundreds of people had gathered in the capital earlier in the day to watch the reading of the verdicts on screens. The Specialist Chambers found Hashim Thaçi, Jakup Krasniqi, Kadri Veseli and Rexhep Selimi guilty of war crimes; the trial panel sentenced Thaçi and Krasniqi to 25 years in prison each, Veseli to 18 years and Selimi to 13 years. The convicted men are expected to appeal.

According to a police statement, a group of protesters who had been demonstrating near the Government building moved in the evening toward the EULEX base on the Pristina–Fushë Kosovë road. They blocked the road near the entrance to the EULEX complex and began to throw various objects and pyrotechnic devices at the facility. Police said that as a result of these pyrotechnics a small part of the building was engulfed in flames, but officers extinguished the fire immediately.

Authorities stressed that the demonstrations did not result in major incidents beyond the fire and reiterated that there were no injuries. Kosovo Police said officers continuously engaged with protesters throughout the events, urging them to protest peacefully and to refrain from throwing dangerous objects at state or international facilities. Police also said they would maintain an increased presence and patrols across the country to guarantee constitutional order and public safety.

EULEX provides logistical and operational support to the Specialist Chambers and the Office of the Specialist Prosecutor, which are formally part of Kosovo’s judicial system but are staffed by international judges and prosecutors and primarily funded by the European Union. The Specialist Chambers have been unpopular among segments of Kosovar society since the arrests of the four former KLA leaders in 2020, and demonstrations against the court have been recurring.

The sentences have drawn sharp criticism and strong emotions inside Kosovo, where many view the convicted men as national heroes. Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, described the verdict as an unacceptable injustice. He said, translated into English, "Even though the judgment may have been formally pronounced in the name of the people of Kosovo, this empty formula should not be confused with the will of the people."

International actors, including the United States and other countries, have called on the public and political leaders to respect the court’s decision. The rulings and the protests that followed highlight a fraught intersection of accountability for alleged wartime crimes, national identity, and the role of international mechanisms in post-conflict justice in Kosovo. With appeals expected, the sentences could prolong domestic tensions and will test the ability of Kosovar institutions and international partners to maintain security while upholding due process.

For now, Kosovo police say they will continue their presence on the streets and at sensitive sites, including international missions, to prevent further escalations. The small fire at the EULEX compound underscores the volatility of the immediate reaction to the Specialist Chambers’ verdicts and the ongoing challenges the country faces in reconciling demands for accountability with public outrage and political polarization.