The Basic Court in Prishtinë has announced that the next court hearing in the “Banjska” case will take place on January 16, 2026, as previously scheduled.
This was confirmed by Mirlinda Gashi, spokesperson for the Basic Court in Prishtinë.
“The Banjska case will be held on January 16, 2026, as previously scheduled,” Gashi told Betimi për Drejtësi.
Previously, the case was led by Judge Arben Hoti as the presiding judge. However, since he was promoted to the Court of Appeals, the case has been reassigned to another judge. The court has not disclosed who will take over the case.
Following a proposal by Special Prosecutor Naim Abazi to continue the trial in absentia, the Basic Court had requested an opinion from the Supreme Court on whether this could apply in the Banjska case. The Supreme Court clarified that it does not provide legal opinions on issues raised by the first-instance court during trial proceedings.
Consequently, the Basic Court decided to reject the proposal to try the remaining 42 accused (41 individuals and one legal entity) in absentia. The court also announced that international arrest warrants have been issued for these defendants, and their detention and extradition are expected for the continuation of the proceedings.
The trial hearing for the three accused in the Banjska case—Vladimir Toliq, Dushan Maksimoviq, and Blagoje Spasojeviq—was held on April 17, 2025, during which all three pleaded not guilty. Special Prosecutor Naim Abazi, the defense, and the injured parties gave their opening statements.
In the initial hearing on October 9, 2024, the three defendants had also pleaded not guilty.
On December 6, 2024, the Basic Court – Special Department rejected as unfounded the requests to dismiss the indictment and objections to the evidence submitted by the defense teams against the Special Prosecutor’s indictment.
The Court of Appeals confirmed the Basic Court’s decision on March 13, 2025, thereby upholding the indictment against the accused in the Banjska case.
So far, the three arrested and in pre-trial detention for this case are Blagoje Spasojeviq, Vladimir Toliq, and Dushan Maksimoviq, for whom separate criminal proceedings are being conducted.
The Special Prosecutor’s indictment charges 44 individuals and one legal entity, “RAD D.O.O.”, with Milan Radojçiq as the lead defendant.
The Special Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Kosovo (PSRK) filed the indictment on September 11, 2024, against Milan Radojçiq and 44 others for the terrorist attack on September 24, 2023, in Banjska, Zvečan. The accused are charged with attempting, through armed violence, to secede the northern part of Kosovo and attach it to Serbia. During the attack, police officer Afrim Bunjaku was killed, and the lives of other officers and civilians were endangered.
During the early hours of September 24, 2023, in Banjska, Zvečan, police officer Afrim Bunjaku was killed, and two others were injured. Three attackers were also killed, while others fled after taking refuge for several hours in the Banjska Monastery. Milan Radojçiq claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack.
