Indictment Against Radoiçiq Refocuses Attention on Political Ties in Kosovo, Investigation of Associates Also Sought

War crimes charges involving 20 people in Gjakova, for which Milan Radoiçiq has been indicted, have once again brought his past and his relations with Kosovo’s political institutions into the spotlight.

In addition to the charges he faces and his prominent position within the structures of the Serb List, Radoiçiq has been an influential figure in political developments in the north. His influence has also extended to relations between Kosovo parties and representatives of the Serb community.

At various times, governments led by the PDK, LDK and AAK engaged in political cooperation with the Serb List, precisely when Radoiçiq was seen as one of the party’s most influential figures. This raises serious questions about the risk these relations may have posed to Kosovo’s institutional and national security.

Another unresolved issue is whether the networks and influence built by Radoiçiq continue to threaten the country’s security, even though he has withdrawn from the public political scene.

In this context, the question arises as to whether Kosovo was exposed to a security risk because of political cooperation with a person who is now accused of war crimes.

Former fighter Saim Tahiraj is calling for a comprehensive investigation into every person suspected of war crimes, as well as clarification of any possible political ties to Milan Radoiçiq.

Tahiraj views the filing of a war crimes indictment against Radoiçiq positively, but insists that the judicial process should not focus solely on him and must continue until the case has been fully clarified.

In a statement to “Bota sot,” he said that a person suspected of serious crimes against Albanians must face justice and, if found guilty, receive the punishment he deserves.

According to Tahiraj, accountability should be sought not only from Radoiçiq, but from anyone who may have participated in or supported crimes against Albanians.

He stressed that all perpetrators of crimes against the Albanian people must face justice, regardless of their whereabouts, the positions they have held or the people who may have supported them.

Tahiraj is also calling for investigations to establish the responsibility of any structures that may have been behind crimes committed during the war in Kosovo. In his assessment, if the courts and investigative authorities prove the involvement or support of Serbian state structures, their responsibility must be addressed fully and without compromise.

Referring to possible links between Kosovo politics and individuals suspected of war crimes, Tahiraj called for any potential form of cooperation to be investigated and for no one to receive political protection.

He said that if evidence emerges that a politician from any party cooperated with Radoiçiq or with structures linked to him, that person, whether a man or a woman, must answer to justice without benefiting from a political shield.

According to Tahiraj, double standards cannot be applied to war crimes or to the obligation to provide answers to victims.

He said it was unacceptable, on the one hand, to speak about the sacrifice of the Albanian people and the victims of the war while, on the other, disregarding possible cooperation with people suspected of crimes against those same people.

Tahiraj also emphasized that confirmation that government power had been used to cooperate with people suspected of war crimes would constitute a serious breach of public trust.

Nevertheless, he called for the final word to be left to investigators and the justice system, which must rely on evidence. According to him, no one should be convicted solely on the basis of political accusations, but neither should anyone be protected when the justice system presents evidence and issues final rulings.

In conclusion, Tahiraj expressed hope that the judicial process would clarify every possible connection, instance of cooperation and responsibility. He stressed that war crimes are not constrained by political timelines, that victims demand justice and that the law must be applied equally to everyone.

Nexhat Bexheti believes that Radoiçiq’s influence on Kosovo’s political life cannot be treated solely as an issue belonging to the past.

For Bexheti, the indictment against Milan Radoiçiq represents a belated response by the justice system. He claims that charges had also been brought against him several years ago, but they were not pursued.

In his statement to “Bota sot,” Bexheti suggested that the authorities under the Haradinaj government had swept these charges “under the rug.”

According to him, the lack of institutional action allowed Radoiçiq to operate with a sense of impunity and to build considerable influence in northern Kosovo.

Bexheti said that such an approach enabled him to behave dismissively, disregard Kosovo’s laws and see himself as the “father” of Serb citizens in the northern part of the country.

In making his argument, Bexheti also cited previous statements by Rada Trajković, a former Serb member of the Kosovo Assembly, who had spoken about the influence that Radoiçiq, according to her, exerted over Serb political and institutional structures in the north.

He recalled Trajković’s claims that some Serb politicians were also dissatisfied because they were under political pressure from Radoiçiq. According to her statements, former mayors of Serb towns in Kosovo had complained to her that all decisions were made by Radoiçiq.

Bexheti also mentioned Trajković’s claim that Radoiçiq used a restaurant in North Mitrovica as an unofficial office. According to her, he issued orders from there and exerted influence over the selection of Serb ministers, police officials and Serb judges in Kosovo.

Referring to the same statements, Bexheti said that Radoiçiq determined the names of future Serb ministers in Kosovo, police chiefs in the north and Serb judges, which, according to him, demonstrates that his political influence was considerable.

According to Bexheti, Radoiçiq’s relationships with figures in Kosovo politics did not end with Ramush Haradinaj. He claims that Radoiçiq also had ties with former President Behgjet Pacolli, particularly in the field of business.

Bexheti said that, in addition to his ties with government representatives, Radoiçiq also had relations with Pacolli and that, based on publicly available information, their cooperation also extended to the business sphere.

In this context, he referred to a photograph published by KRIK in October 2019. It showed Behgjet Pacolli, Milan Radoiçiq, Goran Rakić and other individuals.

According to Bexheti and KRIK’s information, the photograph was taken during a meeting in the summer of 2017, when the AKR was part of the governing coalition led by Ramush Haradinaj.

Bexheti believes that all these developments should serve as a starting point for a broader investigation into the influence that Radoiçiq and people linked to him may have exerted over Kosovo’s politics and institutions.

According to him, this information provides a clear picture that Radoiçiq may continue to wield influence in Kosovo, while his associates may still be actively worsening the political situation. He added that the negative consequences of this influence can still be seen today.

Bexheti sees the risk as evident and is calling for stronger involvement by the institutions responsible for security.

He called on the Kosovo Police to track down and identify individuals operating covertly against the interests of Kosovo’s citizens.

Finally, Bexheti called for the investigation to include people who cooperated with Radoiçiq, also mentioning former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj in this context.

According to him, Radoiçiq’s harmful activities should serve as a basis for investigating people who had cooperative relations with him. Bexheti stressed that if evidence of unlawful cooperation exists, it should be examined to identify other associates who may be operating covertly with the aim of harming Kosovo and compromising it in the international arena.