The trial of Zoran Kostić and Dragan Millović, accused of committing war crimes in the Vushtrri municipality during the Kosovo War, continued on Wednesday with testimonies from two defense witnesses.
Witness Murat Mema stated that he has known Millović since childhood, as he operated a local business in Vushtrri and Millović often sought his help. Mema described Millović as a polite and helpful individual, who assisted local neighborhoods during the war by providing food and support, and in some cases, giving priority to those who knew him.
Witness Sami Rrustemi recounted his 22-day detention at Smrekonica Prison in 1999, where he was beaten by Zoran Vukotić. Rrustemi testified that Millović provided him with medication and intervened to stop the abuse, saving the lives of detainees. He expressed deep gratitude for Millović’s assistance, both during and after the war.
The session also marked a change in the judicial panel, with Judge Arben Hoti joining the case following Judge Valon Kurtaj’s promotion to the Court of Appeals. Future hearings are scheduled for October 2025.
According to the Special Prosecutor’s Office of Kosovo, Kostić, along with other members of Serbian police, military, and paramilitary units, participated in attacks against ethnic Albanian civilians, including killings, house burnings, and forced expulsions in the villages of Vushtrri. Millović is accused of forcibly sending around 20,000 civilians to city cemeteries, where they were beaten, tortured, and terrorized.
The charges against both men fall under war crimes against the civilian population, part of a broader series of prosecutions for atrocities committed by Serbian and Yugoslav forces in Kosovo during 1998–1999. Previous trials in the region led to convictions of high-ranking political and military figures, including:
- Nikola Šainović – 18 years for crimes against humanity
- Dragoljub Ojdanić – 15 years for crimes against humanity
- Nebojša Pavković – 22 years for crimes against humanity and war law violations
- Vladimir Lazarević – 14 years for crimes against humanity
- Sreten Lukić – 20 years for crimes against humanity and war law violations
These prosecutions form part of ongoing efforts to hold accountable those responsible for the mass atrocities and human rights violations during the Kosovo conflict.
