At the Basic Court of Prishtina, the war crimes trial against Zoran Kostić and Dragan Milović continued with the presentation of closing arguments from the parties involved.
Special prosecutor Florije Salihu-Shamolli stated that the trial confirmed the actions of the accused, including killings, the burning of bodies, and the targeting of civilians suspected of supporting the Kosovo Liberation Army.
According to the prosecutor, numerous witness testimonies and material evidence were presented during the proceedings, with the defense having full access to the prosecution’s documentation in order to prepare their case.
Regarding Milović, the prosecutor said he was known by the nickname “Musa” and was allegedly present at the cemetery in Vushtrri, where a large number of Albanian civilians had gathered during the war. The civilians were reportedly separated by gender to identify individuals considered “dangerous” or supporters of the UÇK.
For Kostić, the prosecution alleged that he operated from the house of Shaip Zeneli, from where armed and uniformed individuals carried out operations against Albanian civilians, including burning homes, beating, mistreating, and killing residents.
The prosecutor referred to testimony from Bilall Ujkani, who claimed he saw Kostić enter the Ujkani family home and later set it on fire, allegedly burning the victims’ bodies inside. According to the testimony, villagers later collected the victims’ remains in bags because the bodies had been burned beyond recognition.
Meanwhile, the defense rejected the accusations.
Kostić’s lawyer, Predrag Milković, argued that a conviction requires clear individual responsibility supported by reliable evidence, claiming that some documents and witness statements presented in court lack authenticity or consistency.
Milović’s defense attorney, Mahmut Halimi, stated that his client was a member of the Serbian police during the war and claimed that on May 22, 1999, he was assigned to maintain order in Vushtrri. According to the defense, Milović helped civilians and even saved more than 500 people, despite risking his own safety.
The hearing will continue in the afternoon session, when the defense teams will complete their closing statements.
