Hashim Thaçi visits his father’s grave under heavy EULEX escort after initially being denied funeral attendance

Former President of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi, currently detained by the Special Court in The Hague, was permitted to visit his father’s grave three days after being denied the right to attend the funeral. He traveled under heavy EULEX escort to his home village of Buroja, where his father, Haxhi Thaçi, was laid to rest.

Why is this important: The Special Court’s earlier refusal to allow Thaçi to attend the funeral sparked widespread outrage among Albanians in Kosovo and abroad. The court’s last-minute permission for a brief visit is seen as insufficient and emblematic of what many call a pattern of selective justice against Kosovo’s wartime leaders.

Context: Thaçi spent 15 minutes at the gravesite, placing a wreath with a personal inscription. “I came last to your grave, father. Thousands of citizens came before me. Soon, I will shake all their hands and thank them all. May the soil of Kosovo be light upon you,” Thaçi said, visibly moved.

Dozens of citizens waited at a distance to greet the former president, expressing frustration at what they called a deep injustice in denying his attendance at the funeral.

“It felt very wrong—an incredibly heavy feeling,” one resident said. “A real injustice.”

What else: Following the visit, Thaçi traveled to his family home in Buroja, where he met privately with close relatives, including his mother and sister. He is expected to remain in Kosovo for two days. According to local media, he will likely spend the nights under EULEX supervision at their headquarters.