The Director of the Office for Kosovo in the Serbian Government, Petar Petković, stated on Monday that Serbian authorities are not requesting NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) to “take the Serbian side”.
“We are only asking that they remain objective and neutral,” Petković said at a press conference in Belgrade, during which the attack on the Kosovo Police in Banjska, Zvecan, on September 24 was discussed.
On that day, the Kosovo Police were attacked by an armed group, resulting in the death of police officer Afrim Bunjaku.
After being engaged in a standoff with the police patrol, the assailants sought refuge in a monastery in the village, where they continued to confront the police.
Three of the assailants were killed.
On Monday, Petković stated that EULEX has not yet provided answers regarding the details of the autopsies of the three Serbian citizens.
“The issue of autopsies is crucial,” Petković emphasized.
He expressed the view that EULEX “has refused” to participate in the investigations conducted by the Kosovo Police on the ground.
Petković accused the Kosovo Police of concealing evidence regarding how the Serbian assailants were killed in Banjska.
On September 28, EULEX dismissed the claims by Serbian officials that it had been denied participation in the action of the Kosovo Police.
“EULEX has in no way been prevented from participating in or observing the operations carried out by the Kosovo Police on September 24,” stated this European bloc’s mission to Radio Free Europe.
Official Belgrade has called on EULEX to be involved in the investigations following the attack.
EULEX has not provided Radio Free Europe with details on whether it has officially accepted this request from Serbia, but it did clarify that it does not have an “executive mandate for conducting investigations”.
“The mission has monitored and will continue to monitor the activities carried out by the authorities in Kosovo related to the attack, such as investigations, confiscations, and searches. In accordance with its mandate and Kosovo legislation, EULEX representatives were present during the autopsy, in the capacity of monitors”.
Meanwhile, the Kosovo Police is continuing its investigations in north Kosovo, one week after the conflict.
Kosovo’s Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla stated on Sunday that Kosovo has gathered evidence confirming that Serbia attempted to annex north Kosovo and that the assailants had long been prepared in military bases in Serbia.
During a press conference, he mentioned that more than 90 individuals participated in the attacks on the Kosovo Police.
He also noted the discovery of a significant quantity of weapons in Banjska.
Former Deputy Leader of the Serb List, Milan Radojičić, took responsibility for organizing the attacks in this northern Kosovo village.
