September 24 will see Kosovo with an indictment for the Banjskë case. Exactly two weeks before the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Kosovo Police, the Special Prosecutor’s Office, led by Blerim Isufaj, has filed an indictment for the case. The indictment has been filed against the chief terrorist Milan Radojičić and 44 other individuals. Investigations into this case have been described as the most complex ever conducted by this prosecutor’s office, though the prosecutor in the case has expressed confidence in the indictment. The delays in filing, Chief Prosecutor Isufaj has justified with the need to examine evidence abroad.
Following several months of investigation, the Special Prosecutor’s Office has today filed an indictment with the Basic Court in Pristina against 45 individuals involved in the Banjskë case. The primary accused is Milan Radojičić, who has publicly taken responsibility for the attack.
Chief Prosecutor Isufaj justified the delay in the indictment by the need for results from examinations conducted abroad.
“After completing the investigations, gathering evidence, and analyzing each piece, based on well-founded suspicions, today we have filed an indictment with the Basic Court in Pristina against 45 defendants involved in this case. The acceptance of the results from examinations carried out abroad was perhaps the main reason for the delay in this indictment,” Isufaj stated at a press conference.
The investigations into this case have been considered the most complex ever undertaken by the Special Prosecutor’s Office, according to the case prosecutor, Naim Abazi. He expressed confidence that the indictment he worked on is “strong.”
Abazi revealed that the Banjskë investigation involved top national and international law enforcement agencies.
“This case involves filing an indictment against an organized criminal group consisting of 45 individuals suspected of committing crimes related to constitutional order and terrorism. The investigations for this case have been among the most complex ever handled by this prosecutor’s office and required intensive investigation involving top national and international law enforcement agencies,” Abazi said.
During the several months of investigation, Abazi mentioned that 66 interviews with witnesses and suspects were conducted, around 120 electronic devices and 1,266 weapons and other equipment were analyzed, along with hundreds of documents containing critical evidence for the case.
He emphasized that Milan Radojičić is among those indicted.
“The indictment includes 45 individuals with various roles in this group. Among the main accused is Milan Radojičić, who played a significant role in coordinating and conducting criminal activities,” Abazi said.
He revealed that the investigation also received assistance from international partners.
Through legal cooperation requests addressed to European Union and United States states, the prosecutor said they uncovered the financing routes for the group and obtained evidence necessary for the indictment.
“During the investigation, we made dozens of requests for legal and international cooperation, including with EU countries, the US, and other states, which allowed us to secure important evidence. These requests were crucial for uncovering the financing routes and obtaining evidence that supported this strong indictment,” Abazi said.
Parliament Speaker Glauk Konjufca described the indictment for the terrorist attack in Banjskë as good news, commenting with the phrase “better late than never.”
He said, “I assume that the Prosecutor’s Office needed all this time due to the large number of criminals” involved in the terrorist act in September last year in Banjskë.
“As for the indictment related to the terrorist attack behind which Serbia stands, which occurred in Banjskë, this is indeed good news, and I do not wish to provide further criticism on why there was such a delay. The best phrase for this news is: better late than never. I assume that the Prosecutor’s Office needed all this time to complete the indictment file due to the large number of criminals directly involved in this attack,” Konjufca said to reporters.
The Special Prosecutor’s Office has faced criticism for months over the delay in filing the indictment.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti has consistently criticized the handling of this case.
During a meeting of the General Council of the Vetëvendosje Movement on April 14 this year, Kurti had said that even if it were the third week without an indictment, the issue should be problematic.
“I need to recall that today we are entering the 30th week since the chief criminal Milan Radojičić, sanctioned by the US and the UK, still does not have an indictment from our State Prosecutor’s Office for the terrorist attack that killed our officer, hero Afrim Bunjaku. An attack for which he publicly admitted participation and authorship. Even if it were the third week without an indictment, it would be problematic, let alone the 30th week we are entering today!” Kurti had stated.
Similar statements were made earlier by Kurti, prompting reactions from the Prosecutorial Council.
The KPC requested the Prime Minister to stay away from the prosecutorial system institutions.
“Accordingly, the KPC requests the Government of Kosovo to allow all bodies to act in accordance with the laws and valid authorizations in the country, and considers these statements as recycled public appearances by the Prime Minister that are tendentious towards the State Prosecutor’s Office and are based on incorrect, unethical, and unworthy actions and frequent prejudices and speculations, which occur each time he and his cabinet members are given the opportunity,” the response stated.
Criticism of the Prosecutor’s Office for the delay in the indictment was also directed today by Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu.
“We have consistently expressed our concerns about why an indictment is not being filed for the chief terrorist Milan Radojičić. In 2021, you recall that the arrest warrant was withdrawn for him. We still have no explanation as to why the arrest warrant was withdrawn. Perhaps if Milan Radojičić had been pursued by the institutions at that time and there had been no withdrawal of the arrest warrant, the attack in Banjskë would not have occurred, as it is important to provide an answer, but also for other terrorists who were part of the terrorist attack in Banjskë. We have expressed our concerns because the intention of Serbia is known, it is known that this terrorist group was funded by Serbia, trained there in their training bases. Therefore, we have also requested an international investigation into these training bases and we welcome the indictment of Milan Radojičić and other terrorists. On September 24, it will be a year, so it is extremely important that this happens as soon as possible. Certainly, the rest is up to the Special Prosecutor’s Office,” Haxhiu said.
Additionally, European Union spokesperson Peter Stano stated in June this year that to proceed with measures against Serbia for Banjskë, the investigation report must first be finalized.
“The investigation needs to be completed by the Kosovo authorities. This is something that happened on the territory of Kosovo and the Kosovo authorities are in charge of the investigation and need to provide or share the full findings of the investigation, which has not yet happened, so we cannot proceed without the investigation result,” Stano had declared.
