The ICTY's acquittal of one of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) commanders and former Kosovo prime minister Ramush Haradinaj and two of his associates did not come as a surprise to the public in Serbia, judging by Serbian media reports which say that the Serbian public expected such a verdict.
Initial electronic media reports about the acquittal of Haradinaj, Lahi Brahimaj and Idriz Balaj were stripped of extremely negative comments. Some of the headlines, however, were more harsh, reading: "New slap in the face from The Hague - Haradinaj acquitted as well". "ICTY: Murdering Serbs is not a crime - Hague tribunal acquits Haradinaj and his KLA accomplices".
The media also reported that Kosovo Albanians were celebrating in the main square in Pristina.
There were no official reactions to Haradinaj's acquittal from Belgrade as yet.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) acquitted former Kosovo prime minister Ramush Haradinaj of charges of crimes against humanity at the end of his retrial on Thursday.
Presiding Judge Bakone Justice Moloto said the tribunal acquitted Haradinaj and two other indictees Lahi Brahimaj and Idriz Balaj of all responsibility and ordered their release.
