France leaves Kosovo ex-prime minister free

paris - A French court has swept a Serbian extradition request for Kosovo's former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj on Thursday. Haradinaj immediately came free. Serbia responded furiously and recalled his ambassador for consultation from Paris.

The former Kosovar leader was arrested in France at the beginning of this year at the request of Serbia. The Serbian authorities suspect Haradinaj of war crimes and have previously threatened with measures if France refused to transfer him.

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic responded to the release of the former guerrilla leader. Vucic called the decision of the French court 'shameful, outrageous, illegal, absolutely unfair and above all: politically motivated. '

In Kosovo, there was a great deal of reaction to the release of Haradinaj, expected in the capital of Pristina during Thursday. President Hashim Thaci named the decision 'good news for the Haradinaj and Kosovo family. '