EU Demands Swift Prosecution of Those Responsible for Banjska Attack in North Kosovo Last Year

Banjska, September 25 2023 (BETAPHOTO/SASA DJORDJEVIC)

One year after the attack in Banjska in North Kosovo, EU spokesman Peter Stano said that the EU was calling on relevant bodies to prosecute those responsible. 

“One year after the Banjska attack, the EU reiterates call for swift prosecution of those responsible and reaffirms its commitment to justice and accountability. It's a reminder of the need for continued efforts to maintain security and advance with normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia,” Stano has written on his X account. 

EU High Representative Josep Borrell has condemn “in the strongest possible terms the hideous attack by an armed gang against Kosovo Police officers in Banjska in the north of Kosovo,” adding that all facts about the attack needed to be established and “the responsible perpetrators must face justice.” 

A year ago, an armed clash in Banjska, in the municipality of Zvecan, claimed the lives of one Kosovo police officer and three attackers. Milan Radoicic, the former leader of the Serb List political party in Kosovo, claimed responsibility for the attack. The Kosovo Prosecutor’s Office has filed charges against Radoicic and 44 persons. 

The German Embassy in Kosovo has said on Facebook that “the fact remains that Milan Radoicic, despite admitting responsibility, is still free in Serbia.” The Embassy also wrote that “the failure to hold those responsible accountable, despite clear admissions of guilt, undermines peace in the region and sends a dangerous message. Justice must be done. No more delays or excuses.”