Banjska raises questions about Kosovo’s security: Experts call for justice and accountability from Serbia

Following the armed attack in Banjska, in which police sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was killed, concerns about Kosovo’s security and stability continue to persist. According to experts, the failure to bring the organizers and other possible persons responsible to justice is hindering efforts to prevent similar incidents.

Kosovo’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Glauk Konjufca, recently warned that Serbia’s territorial claims and the lack of accountability over the Banjska case pose a serious threat to Kosovo’s sovereignty and stability in the region.

In a conversation with The Hungary Insider, Konjufca said that recent developments, in his view, demonstrate the continuation of Serbia’s policy toward Kosovo and the political protection of those involved in the armed attack.

“The threat to the Republic of Kosovo is real, and the international community must recognize the seriousness of this pattern,” Konjufca declared.

Security experts Bedri Elezi and Fidair Berisha view Serbia as a persistent risk factor for Kosovo. They call for those responsible to be brought to justice and emphasize that diplomatic statements without concrete steps and results are not sufficient.

Both experts also underline the need for Kosovo to increase its defense, intelligence and border-security capabilities. In their view, these measures are essential to protect the country’s sovereignty and constitutional order from possible threats.

Elezi: Without criminal prosecution in Serbia, prevention and the credibility of the dialogue are weakened

Bedri Elezi says that the September 24, 2023 attack demonstrated the real nature of the risks to Kosovo’s security and sovereignty. He calls for the case not to be treated as concluded until every possible link in the chain of responsibility has been clarified through evidence and legal procedures.

In a statement to Bota sot, Elezi said that Serbia remains a serious threat to Kosovo. According to him, this assessment is linked to Serbia’s military capabilities, documented actions, territorial claims and, in particular, the events in Banjska.

He recalled that the heavily armed group demonstrated that violent operations could be carried out in northern Kosovo, directly affecting the country’s constitutional order and territorial integrity.

Elezi says the investigation should not be limited to the armed confrontation. According to him, the alleged motive, organization, logistics, weapons supplies and possible support network should also be examined to determine whether responsibility extends beyond the direct participants.

A gap between the process in Kosovo and the lack of criminal prosecution in Serbia

Elezi described as troubling the contrast between the judicial proceedings in Kosovo and the lack of criminal prosecution in Serbia against important individuals linked to the case.

He referred to the decision of the Basic Court in Pristina on April 24, 2026, when Blagoje Spasojeviq and Vladimir Toliq were sentenced to life imprisonment, while Dušan Maksimoviq received a 30-year prison sentence. Elezi described the first-instance decisions as an important step in the justice process, but said that many accused individuals remain outside the effective jurisdiction of Kosovo’s institutions.

Among the cases he highlighted was that of Milan Radoiçiq, who has publicly accepted responsibility for organizing the attack. However, according to Elezi, this statement does not replace a judicial process that would determine criminal responsibility.

He added that, based on public reports up to April 2026, no indictment had been filed in Serbia against Radoiçiq for organizing the attack in Banjska.

Elezi questioned the possibility of normalizing relations and creating long-term stability in the region if individuals linked to a deadly attack do not face justice. According to him, this issue affects not only Kosovo, but also the rule of law, the credibility of the dialogue and the European Union’s standards for countries seeking European integration.

He also mentioned the EU’s reaction following the court decision of April 24, 2026. According to Elezi, the Union expressed regret that Serbia had still not taken the necessary steps to bring to justice those responsible for the 2023 attacks in northern Kosovo.

Elezi stressed that the problem is not a lack of statements from abroad, but a lack of concrete and verifiable results. He called on the EU and international partners to apply equal standards to both sides and link cooperation to measurable results: prosecuting suspects under the law, cooperating with Kosovo’s competent institutions and addressing requests for justice.

“The dialogue cannot serve as a political shield against criminal responsibility, while normalization cannot be built on a serious security case that remains unresolved in terms of accountability,” Elezi emphasized in his analysis.

According to him, the failure to punish the organizers and possible supporters could create the impression that an armed operation has limited political and legal consequences. He warned that international institutions must not underestimate this risk.

Elezi also called for concrete measures from Kosovo’s institutions, including greater investment in security intelligence, counterintelligence, border protection, the analysis of hybrid threats and operational cooperation with strategic partners.

He said that confronting risks must be based on institutional preparedness, prevention and the ability to identify threats before they turn into attacks, rather than on panic or political rhetoric.

“Justice must pursue the entire chain of responsibility, on the basis of evidence and legal procedures. Serbia must demonstrate through concrete actions that it does not tolerate impunity, while the international community must demonstrate that its security and justice standards are applied consistently,” the expert said.

In conclusion, Elezi recalled Afrim Bunjaku, who was killed while performing his duty and protecting the constitutional order and the safety of citizens. He said that institutional responsibility toward the sergeant’s sacrifice requires more than tributes and statements: justice, prevention and guarantees that such an attack will not happen again are needed.

“Peace in Kosovo cannot rest solely on political promises. It must be based on real security, proven accountability and an international standard that does not allow impunity to become an instrument of destabilization,” Elezi concluded.

Berisha: Serbia’s policies toward Kosovo and the lack of accountability for the Banjska attack require continued vigilance

Security expert Fidair Berisha also considers Serbia a serious risk factor for Kosovo’s security and stability. He explained that this does not mean a new conflict is inevitable, but that Belgrade’s political objectives, military capabilities and the lack of full accountability for the attack require constant attention from institutions and the international community.

Berisha said that possible threats to the country’s sovereignty and stability must be addressed seriously and should not be underestimated.

“I assess that Serbia continues to constitute a serious risk factor for Kosovo’s security and stability. This does not mean that a new conflict is inevitable, but that Serbia’s political objectives toward Kosovo, its military capabilities and the lack of full accountability for the terrorist attack in Banjska require continued institutional and international vigilance,” Berisha declared.

Speaking about the armed attack of September 24, 2023, he said the incident showed that threats to Kosovo do not appear only in political statements, but can also take the form of armed actions.

According to Berisha, the attack had a direct impact on Kosovo’s security and constitutional order. He stressed that fully clarifying the case and punishing all those responsible are essential to preventing such incidents from recurring.

“The attack in Banjska on September 24, 2023, demonstrated that threats to Kosovo are not merely rhetorical, but can also take the form of armed actions, with direct consequences for the country’s security and constitutional order. For this reason, it is important that the investigation and prosecution lead to all those responsible, including those who may have organized, financed or supported the attack,” he said.

Berisha criticized the lack of concrete progress toward accountability and said that the international diplomatic response should not be limited to statements. According to him, it must be assessed whether these responses have produced accountability and mechanisms to prevent attacks from recurring.

“As for the international community, the issue is not only whether there have been diplomatic responses, but whether they have produced concrete results in terms of accountability and preventing the recurrence of such events. When responsibility for an attack of this nature remains unresolved, the impression of a double standard is created and trust in international security mechanisms is weakened,” the expert emphasized.

He said Kosovo should continue strengthening its defense and security by investing in intelligence and border control and improving coordination among the responsible institutions.

Berisha also underlined the importance of the strategic partnership with NATO, the United States of America and the European Union, which he described as an important element of Kosovo’s long-term security and stability.

“Kosovo must continue strengthening its defense capabilities, intelligence, border security and interinstitutional coordination, while maintaining its strategic partnership with NATO, the United States of America and the European Union,” Berisha declared.

In conclusion, he said that Kosovo’s lasting security remains compromised as long as the Banjska attack is not fully clarified, those responsible are not held accountable and concrete measures are not put in place to prevent similar attacks.

“However, one fact is known: without accountability for Banjska and without concrete guarantees that attacks will not recur, lasting security in Kosovo remains compromised. Peace is built through prevention, justice and respect for sovereignty, not through silence toward actions that endanger it,” Fidair Berisha concluded to Bota sot.