Twenty-seven years have passed since the tragic event of 14 December 1998, when six young Serbs were killed in a small café known as “Panda” in Peja—an act that was organized and orchestrated by the Serbian state in order to place the blame on Albanians. The incident left behind profound tragedy for the victims’ families and further inflamed ethnic tensions during the war period.
According to the scenario arranged by Serbia, those shot dead were Ivan Radević (25), Ivan Obradović (14), Vukota Gvozdenović (16), and Dragan Trifović (17). Two others, Svetislav Ristić (18) and Zoran Stanojević (17), were seriously wounded and later died in hospital from their injuries. Two unidentified, armed, and masked individuals entered the café and opened fire on the young Serbs, leaving them dead or critically wounded.
Immediately after the incident, Serbian authorities used the crime to accuse five young Albanians from Peja, who—without sufficient evidence—were convicted of so-called “hostile activity.” They were imprisoned and subjected to severe torture in Serbian prisons. However, after just one month, they were released following the intervention of the Red Cross and international actors.
This event remains a painful reminder of the manipulation and injustices endured by Albanians during the war, when Serbia exploited every opportunity to incite hatred and deepen ethnic divisions. The Albanian youths who were unjustly convicted and tortured stand as a stark example of the suffering experienced by Kosovo Albanians during and after the war.
Statements made years later by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić brought to light a bitter truth that had been suppressed for decades. In an interview with international media, Vučić acknowledged that the crime known as the “Panda Massacre,” which occurred on 14 December 1998 in Peja, was not committed by Albanians—as the Serbian state and pro-government media in Belgrade had claimed for years.
Beyond the victims of this incident, the case has exposed a dark reflection of Serbia’s justice system and underscored the critical importance of justice and transparency in uncovering the truth behind historical events.
