# Kosovo high‑profile trials controversy > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/kosovo-highprofile-trials-controversy > Updated: 2026-08-04T17:39:49.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 2. In late July 2026, the Basic Court in Pristina continued the “Drenica 1” trial of former Skenderaj mayor Sami Lushtaku and co‑accused, focusing on organized‑crime charges and alleged witness intimidation. Prosecutors linked the case to EULEX‑led investigations, while the defence denounced procedural flaws and asserted the defendants’ innocence, with a verdict expected after final statements on 24 July. A week later, Kosovo MP Vlora Çitaku publicly criticised the government’s handling of a separate case – the trial of four former KLA commanders before the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague. She described the state’s response as indifferent, warned that the tribunal’s decision on 16 September would affect Kosovo’s justice and dignity, and highlighted diplomatic pressure from Serbia and Russia, as well as concerns over the adequacy of legal‑aid funding. Together, the snapshots illustrate growing political scrutiny of Kosovo’s justice system, encompassing both domestic organized‑crime prosecutions and high‑profile international war‑crimes proceedings, and underscore tensions over external influence and the country’s handling of its wartime legacy. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-04: Vlora Çitaku says Kosovo indifferent to KLA leaders' Hague trial Kosovo MP Vlora Çitaku accuses the state of indifference to the Hague trial of former KLA leaders, citing Serbian and Russian diplomatic pressure and inadequate legal funding. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vlora-itaku-says-kosovo-indifferent-to-kla-leaders-hague-trial ### 2026-07-23: Sami Lushtaku trial verdict pending in Kosovo Kosovo’s Pristina court continues the “Drenica 1” trial of Sami Lushtaku and co‑accused, with prosecutors seeking convictions for witness intimidation and defence claiming EULEX‑driven persecution. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ramush-haradinaj-honors-albanian-veterans-for-kosovo-liberation --- Cite as: Kosovo high‑profile trials controversy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/kosovo-highprofile-trials-controversy