Srđan Lazović, who is standing trial for war crimes committed in the village of Panorc, Malisheva, admitted on Tuesday that he was mobilized by Serbian military forces on March 24, 1999, but categorically denied any involvement in the events cited by the prosecution.
The proceedings are taking place at the Basic Court of Prishtina, where the court continued the trial against Lazović, who is charged with war crimes against the civilian population during the 1998–1999 war in Kosovo.
Court Admits Disputed Expert Evidence
At the outset of the hearing, Special Prosecutor Armend Zenelaj proposed the admission of material evidence listed in the indictment, including witness testimonies, official reports, forensic expert analyses, procedural records, and video material from the crime scene.
The prosecution objected to the inclusion of a defense-submitted expert report, arguing that it should not be accepted as evidence. However, defense attorney Feride Xani maintained that the report was prepared professionally by qualified experts.
The trial panel, chaired by Judge Vesel Ismaili, ruled in favor of the defense and approved the admission of the expert analysis.
Confirmation of Military Mobilization
During his testimony, Lazović stated that he completed mandatory military service in 1995 in Prizren and later served as a reserve member of the former Yugoslav army. He confirmed that he was officially mobilized when NATO airstrikes began on March 24, 1999.
“When NATO bombing started, I was summoned as part of the territorial defense. All adult men who had completed military service were called up,” Lazović told the court.
He added that failure to respond to the mobilization order would have been treated as desertion, carrying severe criminal penalties.
Lazović further testified that he initially spent 7–8 days in the village of Vuča, before being transferred to Zheronica in the municipality of Zvečan, and confirmed that he was uniformed and armed with a semi-automatic ‘PAP’ rifle.
Denial of Presence in Panorc
When questioned by the prosecution, Lazović firmly denied ever being present in Panorc and rejected all allegations linking him to the alleged crimes.
“I categorically deny that I participated in those events or that I was ever in Panorc,” he stated.
Lazović had previously pleaded not guilty at the initial hearing held on December 4, 2024.
Allegations of Mass Abuse and Forced Displacement
The Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo (SPRK) filed the indictment on November 19, 2024, accusing Lazović of acting in co-perpetration with other, still-unidentified Serbian police and military personnel.
According to the indictment, between September 3 and 5, 1998, Serbian forces allegedly arrested, unlawfully detained, and tortured around 500 Albanian civilians in Panorc. The civilians were reportedly held in inhumane conditions for approximately 30 hours at a local school, denied food, water, and basic human needs, and subjected to severe physical and psychological abuse. Some detainees were transferred to Dubrava Prison, while others were released.
The indictment further alleges systematic violence, forced displacement, looting, and the burning of civilian homes, as part of a campaign aimed at intimidation, mass expulsion, and ethnic cleansing of the local Albanian population.
Legal Qualification
Srđan Lazović is charged with “War Crimes Against the Civilian Population” under Article 142 in conjunction with Article 22 of the Criminal Code of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which was in force at the time of the alleged offenses.
The trial is ongoing.
