Balja was convicted for the killing, torture and cruel treatment of captives, Serb civilians and Albanians suspected of collaboration with Serb authorities.
Welcoming the acquittal of Limaj and Musliu, Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova said in a press release the "decision confirms the justness of the Kosovo Albanian liberation struggle against Serb occupation, the justness of the struggle for the freedom and independence of Kosovo, as well as the faith in international law and the Hague tribunal".
The acquittal is just and will positively affect the political situation in Kosovo, said Jakup Krasniqi, the secretary general of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, of which Limaj is a senior official.
The acquittal was also applauded by Parliament Speaker Nexhat Daci and many political parties, including the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo whose leader, Ramush Haradinaj, was indicted by the UN court and is currently on provisional release.
The UN Mission in Kosovo and the NATO-led peacekeepers Kosovo Force said they were confident that the citizens of Kosovo would receive the tribunal's decisions with dignity.