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Journalism of Courage
Kosovo’s Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj resigned on Tuesday to face war crimes charges in The Hague, winning international praise for his prompt compliance with the UN tribunal.
The 36-year-old former regional commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during the 1998-99 war against Serb forces said he had informed his government he was indicted and would report to the court on Wednesday.
‘‘I am entirely innocent,’’ said Haradinaj, flanked by weepin gministers. He urged Kosovars to keep up their struggle for independence from Serbia, which he had hoped to lead this year.
The United Nations, NATO and the EU applauded his ‘‘responsible’’ action and urged calm in the majority Albanian province, which was rocked by anti-Serb riots a year ago.
NATO sent extra troops to Kosovo in case the indictment stoked ethnic unrest.
Haradinaj had hoped to be at the helm when talks began later this year on its bid for independence from Serbia, as its Albanian majority desires.
Details of the Haradinaj indictment have not been made public. The UN court has questioned him about murders of Kosovo Serb civilians and Albanian ‘‘collaborators’’, media reports said.
—Reuters
