The European Union has stated that Serbia’s recent arrest of a former member of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) constitutes “another violation” of Serbia’s obligations under the 2015 Dialogue and Justice Agreement.
“Under this agreement, Serbia committed not to initiate criminal investigations or prosecutions for crimes allegedly committed in Kosovo, unless such actions are requested by Kosovo authorities. Jurisdiction over allegations of war crimes and other serious offenses lies with Kosovo’s institutions. We call on Serbia to respect its commitments,” a spokesperson for the European Commission told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
On February 5, Serbian authorities arrested Mitehat Llozhani upon his entry into Serbian territory from the Croatian border. According to Serbian authorities, he is suspected in Belgrade of crimes against the civilian population.
Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora has called for the engagement of the international community regarding this case.
Serbian authorities allege that the arrested individual underwent training as a member of the KLA’s Dukagjini Operational Zone in 1998 and 1999, after which he allegedly participated in “terrorist attacks against members of the Serbian Ministry of Interior and the Yugoslav Army.” The statement further claims that, “as a member of a group commanded by Ramush Haradinaj, he took part in the kidnapping and killing of police officers.”
However, the Organization of War Veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that while the arrested individual participated in several training sessions in Albania, there is no information indicating that he was deployed on front lines in Kosovo.
The organization’s deputy chairman, Gazmend Syla, said that Llozhani’s veteran identification card was found in his pocket during a search conducted by Serbian authorities.
Serbia has repeatedly arrested Kosovo citizens under allegations of war crimes related to the 1998–1999 conflict. Several such arrests were recorded in 2025 alone.
During the 1990s, Serbia designated the KLA as a terrorist organization, while in Kosovo the KLA is regarded as the force that defended the local population from repression by Yugoslav armed forces.
Cases of Kosovo Citizens Arrested in Serbia (According to MFA Sources)
- Arbnor Spahiu – Arrested in June on suspicion of “aggravated murder” in Banjska; released on November 21.
- Lulzim Halili – Arrested in July on charges of “war crimes”; remains in detention.
- Sasha Gjorgjević – Arrested in July on suspicion of “cooperation with Albania’s State Intelligence Service (SHISH) through Kosovo’s Intelligence Agency (AKI)”; remains in detention.
- Behar Preniqi – Arrested in August as a “suspected member of the KLA”; remains in detention.
- Hazir Haziri – Arrested in September on suspicion of “war crimes”; released in January 2026.
- Avni Qenaj – Arrested in November for “war crimes”; a Belgrade court ordered one month of detention.
- Millan Vukashinović – Allegedly abducted by Serbian gendarmerie in Leposavić, northern Kosovo, on November 1.
On August 14, Serbian authorities also announced the detention of two individuals identified by the initials X.E. and B.E. (Xhemajl and Bashkim Emini) at the Horgoš border crossing between Serbia and Hungary, on suspicion that, as KLA members, they had committed war crimes against civilians. They were released five days later. /RFE/RL
