The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, called on the international community to pressure Serbia to hand over Milan Radoiçiq to Kosovo authorities, stating that the Serbian politician and businessman is the “fundamental reason” behind the attacks that have occurred and could occur in the future in Kosovo.
Speaking at a media conference in Pristina on Sunday, following the attack on the Ibër-Lepenc Canal in northern Kosovo two days prior, Kurti stated: “The main problem, in my view, is the fact that Milan Radoiçiq is not being handed over by the Serbian authorities to those in Kosovo.”
Kosovo authorities have issued an arrest warrant and filed charges against Radoiçiq, the former vice-president of the Serbian List, who took responsibility for the terrorist attack in Banjskë in September 2023.
Kurti said that if Radoiçiq had not been allowed to remain free in Serbia, “the likelihood of these attacks happening, and future planned attacks, would have drastically decreased.”
“We ask the international community to pressure Belgrade to hand over the main criminal Radoiçiq to the institutions of Kosovo. If Serbia has doubts that Radoiçiq would not receive a fair trial in Kosovo, we have EULEX, which monitors all cases in Kosovo. Therefore, he must be handed over to Kosovo,” Kurti said.
The attack on the Ibër-Lepenc Canal was the third within a few days in the northern part of the country, following explosions at a police station and at the Zveçan Municipal building.
The explosion at the canal did not result in casualties but caused a large crack in its sidewall, leading to water leakage and reducing water supply in some areas.
Kosovo has blamed Serbia for the attack, though Serbia has denied the accusations.
Water supply was restored almost a day after the explosion, while the supply to the Kosovo Energy Corporation for cooling its thermal power plants was not affected.
Kosovo Police arrested eight suspects and confiscated firearms during a large-scale operation in northern Kosovo in connection with the attack, which was considered the most serious attack on the country’s critical infrastructure since the post-war period.
Kurti said that Friday’s attack on the water canal in the north is linked to the attacks Russia has been carrying out in recent months against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
“The goal was to leave a large part of the country without water, in darkness, in the cold, and without communication. This attack seems to be related to the massive attacks by the Russian Federation against Ukraine,” Kurti said.
The attack on the water canal in the north was condemned by the international community.
The European Union and Germany called it a terrorist act.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that the United States would offer support in finding and punishing those responsible for the attack on the Ibër-Lepenc Canal, according to reports from REL.
