Ivica Dačić, Serbia’s Foreign Minister, has expressed uncertainty regarding the identity of the individual seen in a video released by Kosovo’s Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla. The video in question allegedly features Milan Radojičić, the deputy chairman of the Serb List. However, Dačić noted that it is “clear” that the video does not correspond to the day of the attack in northern Kosovo.
“I have no information about whether he [Radojičić] is in the video or not; I truly don’t know,” Dačić told Radio Television Serbia on September 26.
Dačić believes that the video is a form of “deception” as it does not align with the timeline of the actual attack.
Kosovo’s Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla published a video on September 26 in which he claimed that Radojičić is visible among armed individuals involved in a confrontation with Kosovo Police at the Banjska Monastery in Zvecan on September 24.
Dačić remarked, “They continue to assert that these are criminal groups and potentially freedom fighters. They are freedom fighters too, if that’s the case”.
According to Dačić, Kosovo is “striving to provide evidence that Millan Radojičić or Zvonko Veselinović were responsible for these actions”.
Dačić added, “They would have preferred to have found [Milan] Mojsilović [the Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army] because it would establish a link to Belgrade”.
He also held Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti accountable as the “sole culprit for everything that has transpired”, emphasizing that Belgrade does not condone any acts of violence.
“We deeply regret the killing of a police officer, the loss of Serbian lives, and the occurrence of such an incident, which is not in the interest of Serbia,” Dačić stated.
In Sveçla’s video released on September 26, it is asserted that Radojičić “led the terrorist group responsible for the attack that resulted in the death of police officer Afrim Bunjaku”.
Sveçla reiterated during an interview with Euronews Albania on the same day that the video featuring Radojičić was captured by a police drone and that Radojičić was located within the premises of the Banjska Monastery.
Sveçla claimed that over 30 individuals, led by Millan Radojičić, participated in the September 24 attack.
The Serb List, which enjoys support from Belgrade, is the primary political party representing the interests of Serbs in Kosovo. Radojičić, along with the businessman from northern Kosovo, Zvonko Veselinović, who was mentioned by Dačić, is blacklisted by the United States for allegations of corruption and involvement in international criminal activities. They are also associated with the assassination of Serbian opposition politician Oliver Ivanović in northern Kosovo.
The attack on September 24 involved a group of armed and masked individuals who targeted Kosovo Police in the village of Banjska, resulting in the tragic death of police officer Afrim Bunjaku and several injuries.
In the ensuing firefight, Kosovo Police neutralized three attackers of Serbian nationality and apprehended six more. On September 25, two additional individuals were arrested in Banjska. During the subsequent search operations, Kosovo Police discovered a substantial cache of heavy weapons in the Banjska vicinity.
