Kosovo Government spokesperson Përparim Kryeziu responded to the European Union spokesperson Peter Stano after Stano stated that Kosovo has not yet shared the final report on the terrorist attack investigation in Banjskë with the EU.
Kryeziu said the government had compiled a 48-page report on the terrorist attack, which was sent to the EU and its member states last year.
He emphasized that if Stano is referring to the report that needs to be prepared by the country’s prosecution, according to Kryeziu, that response should be sought from the justice institution itself.
“As the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, within our competencies, we have compiled a 48-page report on the terrorist and paramilitary attack, which we have submitted to the European Union and each member state since last year. I believe this information should be known to spokesperson Stano. If in his continuous statements he is referring to the report that should be prepared by the country’s prosecution, then this is a matter for which we should seek an answer from that institution,” Kryeziu stated.
Kryeziu emphasized that it is concerning that nine months after the attack in Banjskë, there is no indictment from the Kosovo Prosecution, nor any measures from the European Union and the international community against Serbia. He assessed that Radoičić remains “free and a continuous potential threat to security and peace in the region.”
“For us, it remains extremely concerning and incomprehensible that even after 9 months, on one hand, there is no indictment from the country’s prosecution for Milan Radoičić, and on the other hand, the international community, including the European Union, has not taken measures against Serbia, despite the evidence proving its involvement in the attack of September 24, 2023. We remind you that Radoičić continues to remain free and a continuous potential threat to security and peace in the region,” Kryeziu emphasized to kallxo.
The EU spokesperson Peter Stano reiterated that Kosovo is responsible for the investigation of the terrorist attack that occurred in Banjskë on 24.09.2023, where Kosovo Police sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was killed.
At a press conference, he said the investigations should be conducted by Kosovo authorities as the incident occurred within its territory, adding that the final report of the full investigations has not yet been shared with the EU.
“When it comes to the investigations, firstly, they should be conducted by the Kosovo authorities, if you refer to the incident in Banjskë, on September 24 last year. This happened within Kosovo territory and the Kosovo authorities are responsible for investigating, providing, and sharing the final report of the full investigations. This has not happened yet, and we cannot proceed without the results of these investigations,” Stano stated.
What Happened and the Aftermath of the Attack in Banjskë?
In the early hours of 24.09.2023, a police unit on patrol in the village of Zveçan reported that two trucks were placed on the bridge leading into the village of Banjskë, which contains dozens of houses.
Police sergeant Afrim Bunjaku, along with two colleagues, responded to the incident. As they approached the trucks to see what was happening, a remotely controlled anti-personnel grenade exploded.
Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was killed in the attack on 24.09.2023, while two of his colleagues, one was wounded, and the other injured. Following the information about the explosion and gunfire with other means against the police, other reactive units headed towards Banjskë.
Various images published by the Kosovo Police showed moments captured by cameras mounted on the institution’s armored vehicles while the terrorist group fired various weapons at them. The footage of the clashes between the terrorist group and the police was published on 01.10.2023, with the time indicating 4 am and onwards.
The responsibility for the attack and its logistics was claimed by the former vice-president of the Serbian List, Milan Radoičić, who was arrested on 03.10.2023 in Belgrade and detained for 48 hours.
“I have not informed anyone about this, neither the authorities of the Republic of Serbia nor in the north, and I had no assistance from them because until that time we had different and distinctive stances regarding protection from Kurti’s terror, as the Serbian people have provided resistance to Kurti’s terror on many occasions for mitigating and calming the political situation,” stated in Radoičić’s letter, read by his lawyer on 29.09.2024.
He did not make this public himself but through a letter read by his lawyer, Goran Petronijević. In the same letter, he also announced his resignation from his position in the Serbian List.
Radoičić was interviewed by the Serbian Prosecution and was released to be investigated in freedom while continuing to live there.
On 06.12.2023, INTERPOL issued an arrest warrant for Milan Radoičić. Besides Milan Radoičić, the list of persons who have an INTERPOL arrest warrant includes 19 other individuals suspected of the terrorist attack in Banjskë.
