The president of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, resigned Thursday to face war crimes charges at a special court in the Hague, DW reports.
Thaci, a former guerilla leader during Kosovo's war for independence from Sebria, announced he was stepping down at a press conference in the capital Pristina.
"I will not allow under any circumstances that I appear before court as the president of the Republic of Kosovo. Therefore, in order to protect the integrity of the office of the president and the country, as well as the dignity of the citizens, I resign from the position of president of the Republic of Kosovo," he told journalists.
Thaci was indicted by a Kosvo court based in the Dutch city that was created to try alleged crimes of former ethnic Albanian rebel leaders. Thaci is one of several politicians who have been indicted for crimes that include murder, enforced disappearances, persecution and torture.