Court proceedings concerning the barricades erected in northern Kosovo in December 2022 are expected to continue today before the Basic Court in Pristina.
Six Kosovo Serb defendants: Dushan Maksimović, Miloš Radosavljević, Nemanja Jolović, Dušan Drobač, Srđan Vučinić and Nenad Orlović are accused of organising and erecting barricades that blocked major roads and obstructed the work of Kosovo institutions.
According to the Special Prosecutor’s Office, the defendants allegedly acted jointly and used force and violence to prevent Kosovo institutions from exercising their official authority. The indictment states that roads were blocked with trucks loaded with gravel, excavators, buses, ambulances and other vehicles.
The barricades were erected amid heightened tensions in northern Kosovo following the arrest of former Serbian police officer Dejan Pantić and disputes surrounding Kosovo’s licence-plate and entry-document policies.
The proceedings have also faced delays, including the absence of some defendants and difficulties in securing their appearance before the court. One of the accused, Nemanja Jolović, was reportedly not found at his registered address, with police receiving information that he had moved to Serbia.
The case is significant not only because of the individual allegations, but also because it concerns a broader period of instability in northern Kosovo, where Belgrade has maintained considerable political influence over local Serb structures.
The allegations must ultimately be determined by the court. However, the principle at stake is clear: political disagreement cannot justify the obstruction of public roads, state institutions or the rule of law.
The proceedings now provide an opportunity to establish responsibility through due process and to ensure that the events of December 2022 are addressed through judicial accountability rather than political narratives.
The barricades were removed years ago. The question of responsibility remains before the court.
