Petar Bošković, a Serbian Member of Parliament and former military officer, has delivered a damning assessment of the 2023 Banjska attack, asserting that the Serbian state leadership was not only aware of the operation but provided essential logistical support.
In an interview with N1, Bošković dismissed the notion that such a significant armed incursion could have been organized without the knowledge of President Aleksandar Vučić and the top brass of Serbia’s security apparatus.
The “Supreme Commander” Argument
Bošković argued that the centralized nature of power in Serbia makes it “unbelievable” that the state was blindsided. He specifically targeted the lack of accountability among those who manage the nation’s intelligence and defense.
“It is impossible for a man who calls himself the Supreme Commander not to have known about this,” Bošković stated. “It is equally impossible that the heads of the security services and military structures were in the dark.”
He specifically named high-ranking officials from that period, suggesting their involvement or negligence:
- Aleksandar Vulin: (Then-Director of the Security Intelligence Agency – BIA)
- Bratislav Gašić: (Then-Minister of the Interior)
- General Milan Mojsilović: (Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces)
The Military as Logistics
The former military officer pointed to drone footage and training exercises as evidence that the group led by Milan Radoičić was integrated into state structures.
“We now know that Mojsilović even participated in some exercises, as Radoičić’s people filmed them with drones. Therefore, the military served as logistics,” Bošković claimed. He suggested that the group utilized military-grade equipment and training grounds that are strictly inaccessible to civilians without high-level state authorization.
A “Failed Design” and Political Protection
Bošković described the tactical execution of the Banjska attack as a monumental failure, noting that Radoičić’s decision to leave behind personal documents and abandon the wounded is unheard of in professional military operations. He characterized the event as a poorly “designed” plan that yielded only negative consequences for Serbia.
He also highlighted the judicial treatment of Milan Radoičić in Belgrade as a clear indicator of political protection:
- The Arrest: Radoičić was detained shortly after the attack.
- The Release: He was released to defend himself from freedom almost immediately.
- The Conclusion: “You don’t need much proof to see that people from the SNS (Serbian Progressive Party) were absolutely involved in this,” Bošković added.
The Current Context: Verdict Looms in Prishtina
These statements from within the Serbian political sphere come at a critical time. In Prishtina, the judicial process for three men captured during the Banjska attack is reaching its climax. The Basic Court in Prishtina is scheduled to deliver its final verdict this Friday, April 24, at 3:00 PM, with prosecutors seeking life imprisonment for terrorism and attacks on the constitutional order.
Bošković’s remarks add to the growing international and domestic pressure on Belgrade to provide a transparent account of how a heavily armed paramilitary group was able to operate from Serbian territory.
