Despite Kosovo officially requesting Serbia to hand over the terrorist of the Banjska attack, Milan Radoičić, Serbia has done nothing so far to clarify the case and has taken no action against Radoičić, who admitted to organizing the attack in Zvečan, which resulted in the death of a Kosovo police officer.
In Serbia, it is said that the Banjska case has complicated the dialogue process.
Even after nearly ten months of investigation against the leader of the terrorist attack in Banjska, Zvečan, Milan Radoičić, there has been no progress, despite his public admission that he was the organizer of the attack.
According to the latest announcement from the High Prosecutor’s Office, the investigations are ongoing. Lawyer Čedomir Stojković believes it is now the West’s turn to act to apply additional pressure on the Serbian authorities.
“The West must take appropriate steps. The fact that Milan Radoičić is free is a clear message that anyone who can possess weapons to realize Serbian nationalist interests will receive immunity. Milan Radoičić being free means a message that you can be immune before the law. The West must understand this essence,” said lawyer Čedomir Stojković.
Kosovo institutions are demanding that Serbia extradite Milan Radoičić to Kosovo. It is considered that the Banjska case has complicated the dialogue process. For journalist Sofija Popović, Banjska is seen as a turning point.
“This has shaken the trust of Western partners regarding what Serbia’s policy is when it comes to Kosovo. Therefore, I think the West will insist on prosecuting Milan Radoičić, but I also think Belgrade will insist that he not be prosecuted in accordance with the scale of the crime he committed.
While it is not known what the legal basis for extradition is, I am sure that a meaningful judicial process against Radoičić will be demanded in Belgrade,” said Sofija Popović from European Western Balkans.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has repeatedly said that Radoičić is a matter for the state’s judicial authorities. Officially, the High Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade is investigating Radoičić for purchasing weapons, reports RTKlive.
Since then, it is not known if there are elements for an indictment. The West expects Serbia to show that it did not support Banjska through an effective investigation and punishment of those responsible, including Milan Radoičić as the leader of the terrorist group.
