Mass graves that continue to be uncovered in Kosovo are once again highlighting the scale of the crimes committed against Albanians during the 1998–1999 war.

New evidence obtained at these sites documents the grim history of killings, disappearances and other serious crimes committed by Serbian forces against the civilian population.

According to legal and war crimes experts, this evidence is highly significant for initiating criminal prosecutions and fully uncovering the truth. However, because of the limited mandate of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, it remains unclear whether these cases can be handled by this court.

Legal assessments emphasize that accountability for acts committed during the war must be pursued through the competent domestic and international mechanisms, as war crimes and crimes against humanity are not subject to any statute of limitations.

The discovery of new mass grave sites is increasing demands for archives to be opened and for the fate of thousands of war victims to be clarified. At the same time, the families of missing persons continue to demand justice and criminal accountability for both those who committed the crimes and those who gave the orders.

Lawyer and legal expert Ardian Bajraktari believes that the crimes committed in the Dubrava massacre should be investigated and addressed by Kosovo’s justice institutions, including the possibility of trying suspects in absentia.

In a statement to “Bota sot,” Bajraktari said that a survivor of the Dubrava massacre had previously filed a criminal complaint with the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, requesting an assessment of whether these cases fall within its jurisdiction.

He said that no information has been made public so far indicating whether the criminal complaint filed by the survivor has been reviewed.

According to Bajraktari, the lack of public information about the handling of the complaint makes it necessary for Kosovo’s institutions to take concrete action to shed light on the crimes.

The legal expert emphasized that these cases should be prosecuted by domestic authorities, including through trials in absentia, an option now provided for under the Criminal Procedure Code.

The Dubrava massacre is considered one of the gravest events of the war in Kosovo. The victims’ families and survivors continue to demand that those responsible be identified and held criminally accountable.

Professor Muhamet Racaj, in a statement to “Bota Sot,” described the discovery of mass graves in Kosovo as irrefutable evidence of the grave war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in 1998–1999 by Serbian military, police and paramilitary forces.

According to him, every newly discovered mass grave further reinforces the historical and legal truth about the systematic policy of ethnic cleansing implemented by Serbia’s regime at the time.

Racaj explained that these crimes do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. He argued that the court’s mandate is limited to investigating and adjudicating specific offenses related to allegations against former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, meaning that crimes committed by Serbian forces cannot be prosecuted by it.

However, the professor stressed that the limits on the Specialist Chambers’ jurisdiction do not absolve the perpetrators of these crimes of responsibility.

According to Racaj, new evidence obtained from the mass graves should be used to bring indictments before the competent national and international mechanisms.

He reiterated that neither war crimes nor crimes against humanity are subject to any statute of limitations, meaning that perpetrators can be prosecuted regardless of how many years have passed.

In conclusion, Racaj called on the international community to increase pressure on Serbia to open its military and police archives, determine the locations of all mass graves and bring those responsible to justice.

Muhamet Racaj concluded his statement to “Bota sot” by emphasizing that genuine reconciliation cannot be achieved without justice, while lasting peace in the Balkans cannot be built without fully uncovering the truth.

The post Mass Graves Bear Witness to Serbian Crimes in Kosovo, While Those Responsible Have Yet to Face Justice appeared first on Albeu.com.

The discovery of human remains in several areas of Zubin Potok, believed to belong to victims of the most recent war in Kosovo, represents a significant step toward clarifying the fate of missing persons and investigating crimes from 1998-1999 that remain unsolved.

Following the initial discoveries, Kosovo’s justice authorities launched forensic examinations and DNA analyses. These procedures are intended to identify the victims and determine the circumstances of their deaths, giving families who have been searching for decades an opportunity to learn what happened to their missing relatives.

The case has renewed attention on mass graves, as well as the need for greater interinstitutional cooperation in locating suspected sites and shedding light on war crimes.

Commenting on these developments, Austrian expert Gunther Fehlinger told “Bota sot” that the discovery of human remains at several locations in Zubin Potok was extremely important for Kosovo, the families of missing persons and the investigation of unresolved war crimes.

According to him, these findings must be handled with dignity, full forensic professionalism and legal care. He stressed that DNA analyses must establish the identity of each victim, while prosecutors must determine the time, circumstances and responsibility for each death.

Fehlinger warned that until these procedures are completed, no claim regarding the victims’ identities or specific perpetrators should be presented as conclusive. According to him, identification and the determination of responsibility must be based solely on accurate evidence and adherence to legal and forensic standards.

The expert also said the findings show that previously unknown grave sites can still be discovered 27 years after the end of the war, thanks to new testimony, forensic investigations and the professional work of institutions.

According to him, each identified site could provide answers to families who have been waiting for decades. At the same time, the locations may preserve evidence of abductions, executions, the concealment of bodies and attempts to obstruct justice.

Fehlinger said the success of the investigations cannot be judged solely by the number of remains discovered. The assessment must also include the preservation of crime scenes, identification through DNA, maintenance of the chain of evidence, witness interviews and the investigation of people who may have ordered, committed or concealed the crimes.

According to the Austrian expert, the discoveries in Zubin Potok add further weight to the Declaration on Missing Persons, adopted during the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue in 2023. The document provides for cooperation in clarifying the fate of missing persons and exchanging relevant information.

He called on the European Union to insist on the agreement’s full implementation. According to Fehlinger, Serbia must provide unrestricted access to military, police, municipal, state and security service archives related to the wartime period.

He also called for the release of operational documents, transport records, information about burials and any material related to primary, secondary or concealed graves. Fehlinger stressed that cooperation on missing persons must not remain merely a symbolic item in the Brussels dialogue.

He said the EU should make Serbia’s progress toward membership, as well as the political and financial benefits associated with that process, conditional on measurable cooperation regarding missing persons and the provision of evidence concerning war crimes.

Addressing the impact the findings could have on war crimes trials, Fehlinger said forensic evidence could strengthen criminal cases. It could help identify victims and establish their number, document patterns of crimes and create links between different locations.

However, he explained that in every court proceeding, the link between the crime and the accused must be proven individually. Delays in DNA identification could slow investigations and trials, while successful identification could strengthen cases, correct the historical record and give families the truth they have sought for so long.

In conclusion, the expert called for the fate of missing persons not to be turned into a tool for political confrontation or interethnic tensions. He stressed that every victim, regardless of their background, has the right to be identified, treated with dignity and given justice.

Fehlinger said the families had waited far too long and that Kosovo’s institutions, Serbia, the European Union, EULEX, the International Committee of the Red Cross and all responsible institutions must continue cooperating until the fate of every missing person is clarified.

In his closing statement to “Bota sot,” Gunther Fehlinger stressed that long-term normalization between Kosovo and Serbia cannot be achieved without the truth about the missing, accountability for war crimes and the full identification of the sites where victims were buried.

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Mass graves that continue to be uncovered in Kosovo have once again brought the scale of crimes against Albanians during the 1998–1999 war into the spotlight.

Evidence recovered from each of these locations reveals grave cases of killings, disappearances and other crimes committed by Serbian forces against the civilian population.

According to experts in justice and war crimes, this evidence could serve as an important basis for criminal proceedings and for fully establishing the truth. However, because of the limited mandate of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, it remains unclear whether these cases can be addressed by that court.

Legal assessments emphasize that responsibility for war crimes must be pursued through the competent domestic and international institutions, given that war crimes and crimes against humanity are not subject to a statute of limitations.

The discovery of additional mass graves has intensified calls for the opening of archives and for clarification of the fate of thousands of war victims. The families of missing persons continue to demand justice, while insisting that the perpetrators and those who gave the orders be held accountable before the justice authorities.

Bajraktari: Criminal complaint by a Dubrava survivor to the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office still has no publicly known outcome

Lawyer and legal expert Ardian Bajraktari believes that the crimes committed in the Dubrava massacre should be investigated and addressed by Kosovo’s justice institutions. According to him, the possibility of holding trials in absentia could also be considered for the suspects.

In a statement to “Bota Sot,” Bajraktari said that a survivor of the Dubrava massacre had previously filed a criminal complaint with the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, asking it to assess whether the case fell within its jurisdiction.

He said the complaint had been filed some time ago to determine the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office’s jurisdiction over these cases, but so far no information has been made public about whether it has been reviewed.

For Bajraktari, the lack of publicly available information about the complaint’s fate makes it necessary for Kosovo’s institutions to take concrete action to shed light on the crimes.

He believes the cases should be handled by Kosovo’s justice system, including the possibility of trials in absentia, a procedure now permitted under the Criminal Procedure Code.

The Dubrava massacre is considered one of the gravest events of the war in Kosovo. The victims’ family members and survivors continue to demand justice and criminal accountability for those who committed the crimes.

Racaj: Crimes by Serbian forces are not subject to a statute of limitations; international pressure is needed to establish the truth

Professor Muhamet Racaj told “Bota Sot” that the mass graves uncovered in Kosovo constitute irrefutable evidence of serious war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during 1998–1999 by Serbian military, police and paramilitary forces.

According to him, every newly discovered mass grave reinforces the historical and legal truth about the systematic policy of ethnic cleansing implemented by Serbia’s regime at the time.

Racaj explained that these crimes do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. He argued that the court’s mandate is limited to investigating and trying certain offenses related to allegations against former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

For this reason, the professor said, the Specialist Chambers cannot try crimes committed by Serbian forces.

Racaj stressed that the limitation of the court’s jurisdiction does not mean that the perpetrators should escape accountability. On the contrary, the new evidence obtained from the mass graves should be used to bring indictments before the competent national and international mechanisms.

He recalled that war crimes and crimes against humanity are not subject to a statute of limitations. Consequently, the perpetrators can be prosecuted regardless of how many years have passed.

In conclusion, Muhamet Racaj called for stronger engagement by the international community toward Serbia, with the aim of clarifying the fate of the war victims and bringing those responsible to justice.

He called for greater pressure to be exerted on Serbia to open its military and police archives, locate all mass graves and hand the perpetrators over to the justice authorities. Racaj concluded for “Bota Sot” that without justice, genuine reconciliation cannot be achieved, while without fully establishing the truth, there can be no lasting peace in the Balkans.

The post Mass Graves Bear Witness to Serbian Crimes in Kosovo, but Justice Is Delayed: Will Those Responsible Be Tried? appeared first on Albeu.com.

The discovery of human remains at several sites in Zubin Potok, believed to belong to victims of the recent war in Kosovo, could be an important step toward determining the fate of missing persons and investigating unresolved crimes from the 1998-1999 period.

Following the initial discoveries, Kosovo’s justice institutions have begun forensic examinations and DNA analyses. The aim is to identify the victims and establish the circumstances of their deaths, a process that could provide answers to the families of missing persons, who have waited for decades to learn what happened to their relatives.

These developments have once again drawn attention to the issue of mass graves and the need for broader institutional cooperation to locate suspected sites and document war crimes.

Austrian expert Gunther Fehlinger spoke to “Bota sot” about the issue.

Fehlinger described the discovery of human remains at several sites in Zubin Potok as an event of extraordinary importance for Kosovo, the families of missing persons and the investigation of war crimes that remain unresolved.

Austrian expert Gunther Fehlinger

According to him, the procedures must be conducted with the utmost professionalism, in accordance with the law and forensic standards. Only in this way can the identification of the victims and determination of responsibility be based on accurate evidence.

“The discovery of human remains at several sites in Zubin Potok represents an extraordinarily important development for Kosovo, the families of missing persons and the investigation of unresolved crimes committed during the 1998-1999 war.

These findings must first be handled with dignity, forensic professionalism and full legal care. DNA testing must be used to establish the identity of every victim, while prosecutors must clarify the time, circumstances and responsibility for each death. Until this process is completed, no conclusion regarding specific victims or perpetrators should be regarded as established fact.”

Fehlinger also emphasized that, even 27 years after the end of the war, new evidence, the professional work of institutions and forensic investigations can lead to the discovery of previously unknown graves.

According to him, each identified site may bring answers to families who have waited for decades, while also potentially uncovering evidence of abductions, executions, the concealment of bodies and attempts to obstruct justice.

“The success of the investigations should not be measured solely by the number of remains found. Consideration must also be given to how crime scenes are preserved, the identification of victims through DNA, the safeguarding of the chain of evidence, the questioning of witnesses and the investigation of those who ordered, committed or concealed these crimes,” the Austrian expert said.

According to him, the discoveries in Zubin Potok make the Declaration on Missing Persons, adopted in 2023 as part of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, even more important. The document provides for cooperation in determining the fate of missing persons and the exchange of relevant information.

“The European Union must demand the full implementation of this agreement. Serbia must guarantee unrestricted access to military, police, security service, municipal and state archives from the wartime period. Operational documents, transport records, information about burials and any material related to primary, secondary or concealed graves must be made public.

Cooperation on missing persons cannot remain merely a symbolic element of the Brussels dialogue,” Fehlinger stated.

The expert believes that the European Union should make Serbia’s accession process, as well as the related political and financial benefits, conditional on the country’s measurable cooperation regarding missing persons and evidence of war crimes.

Analyzing the impact of the discoveries on war crimes trials, Fehlinger said that forensic evidence could strengthen criminal cases. It could help identify victims, determine their number, document patterns of crime and establish links between different sites.

“In every trial, an individual evidentiary link must be established between the crime and the accused. Delays in identification through DNA may prolong investigations and trials, while successful identification can strengthen criminal cases, correct the historical record and give families the truth they have sought for so long,” he said.

In conclusion, the Austrian expert called for the issue of missing persons not to be turned into a tool for political clashes or interethnic tensions. He stressed that every victim, regardless of their background, has the right to identification, dignity and justice.

“The families of missing persons have waited far too long. Kosovo’s institutions, Serbia, the European Union, EULEX, the International Committee of the Red Cross and all responsible bodies must cooperate until the fate of every missing person has been determined.

There can be no long-term normalization between Kosovo and Serbia without the truth about missing persons, accountability for war crimes and the full disclosure of the sites where victims were buried,” Gunther Fehlinger concluded for “Bota sot.”

The post Zubin Potok Reveals Possible Traces of War, Fehlinger Calls for Full Investigation and Pressure on Serbia appeared first on Albeu.com.

William Schabas, a professor of international criminal law, has said that although the Kosovo Specialist Chambers may have formal jurisdiction to investigate new discoveries of mass graves, primary responsibility for prosecuting crimes committed by Serbian forces lies with the domestic judiciary.

In an interview with the newspaper “Bota sot,” Schabas discussed the possibility of these serious crimes, which may constitute violations of international humanitarian law, being addressed by the Specialist Chambers, as well as the legal avenues available to victims’ families who are still awaiting justice.

He explained that, from a legal perspective, there is a theoretical possibility that the Specialist Chambers could exercise jurisdiction, but stressed that the court’s original mission was entirely different.

“In principle, the Specialist Chambers can prosecute crimes committed by nationals of Kosovo or the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, or crimes in which the victims were nationals of Kosovo or the FRY, provided that they occurred between January 1998 and December 2000. In theory, therefore, they may have jurisdiction,” Schabas was quoted as saying.

However, he stressed that the Specialist Chambers were established specifically to address allegations of crimes linked to leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, who later became involved in government.

“This court was established because of crimes allegedly committed by KLA leaders, who were already part of Kosovo’s institutions and whose cases had not been addressed by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The assessment was that the domestic justice system would never investigate these cases,” the professor explained.

When it comes to suspected perpetrators who are members of the Serbian forces, Schabas believes the situation is different and does not involve the same political obstacles that justified the creation of this mechanism.

“If the crimes are suspected of having been committed by Serbs, then the situation is different. In this case, Kosovo’s legal system is capable of prosecuting these crimes. The political obstacles that existed in cases related to the KLA are not present. Therefore, the rights of victims should be upheld through Kosovo’s domestic judicial system,” Schabas said.

Finally, he expressed strong doubts that the mandate of the Specialist Chambers would be expanded, highlighting the high cost as a key obstacle.

“The Specialist Chambers represent a very costly alternative, and I do not believe that their funders, essentially the European Union, will be willing to make further investments to expand their mandate,” he concluded.

The post Schabas: The Specialist Chambers have theoretical jurisdiction over mass graves, but justice must come from Kosovo’s courts appeared first on Albeu.com.

The discovery of human remains at several sites in Zubin Potok, which are suspected of belonging to victims of the last war in Kosovo, could help clarify the fate of missing persons and aid investigations into unresolved crimes from the 1998-1999 period.

Following the discovery of the remains, Kosovo’s justice institutions have begun forensic examinations and DNA analyses. The aim is to identify the victims and determine the circumstances of their deaths, a process that could provide answers to the families of missing persons, who have waited for decades to learn the truth about their loved ones.

The latest discoveries have brought renewed attention to the issue of mass graves and the need for greater institutional commitment to locating suspected sites and documenting war crimes.

Austrian expert Gunther Fehlinger spoke to “Bota sot” about the significance of this development.

Fehlinger considers the discovery of human remains at several locations in Zubin Potok to be an event of particular importance for Kosovo, the families of the missing, and efforts to investigate war crimes that remain unresolved.

According to him, the work must be carried out to high professional standards, in compliance with the law and the rules of forensic medicine. Only in this way can the victims’ identities and potential responsibility be accurately established on the basis of verifiable evidence.

“The discovery of human remains at various locations in Zubin Potok represents an exceptionally important development for Kosovo, the families of missing persons, and the investigation of unresolved crimes committed during the 1998-1999 war.

The findings must be handled with dignity, forensic professionalism, and full legal care. DNA analysis must be used to establish the identity of each victim, while prosecutors must investigate the timing, circumstances, and responsibility for each death. Before these procedures are completed, the identities of the victims or possible perpetrators should not be presented as confirmed facts,” he said.

The Austrian expert stresses that, even 27 years after the end of the war, new evidence, institutional work, and forensic investigations can lead to the discovery of unknown graves.

According to him, each identified location could bring long-awaited answers to families, but it could also contain evidence related to abductions, executions, the concealment of bodies, and attempts to obstruct justice.

“The success of the investigation should not be measured solely by the number of remains found. Consideration must also be given to how the crime scenes are preserved, the identification of victims through DNA, the safeguarding of the chain of custody, the questioning of witnesses, and the identification of those who ordered, committed, or concealed these crimes,” Fehlinger said.

He emphasizes that the developments in Zubin Potok make the Declaration on Missing Persons, adopted as part of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue in 2023, even more important. The document provides for cooperation in locating missing persons and exchanging relevant information.

“The European Union must demand the full implementation of this agreement. Serbia must allow unrestricted access to military, police, security service, municipal, and state archives relating to the wartime period. Operational documents, transport records, information on burials, and any material related to primary, secondary, or concealed graves must be made available.

The issue of missing persons cannot be treated merely as a symbolic element of the Brussels dialogue,” Fehlinger said.

According to him, the EU should link Serbia’s concrete cooperation on missing persons and evidence of war crimes to its path toward membership in the European Union, as well as to the political and financial benefits stemming from that process.

Assessing the impact of the discoveries on war crimes proceedings, Fehlinger said forensic evidence could strengthen criminal cases. It could help identify the victims, determine their number, establish patterns of crimes, and create links between different locations.

“In every trial, an individual evidentiary link must be established between the criminal offense and the accused. Delays in DNA identification can prolong investigations and court proceedings, while successful identification can consolidate cases, correct the historical record, and give families the truth they have sought for many years,” the expert said.

In conclusion, he called for the issue of missing persons not to be turned into a tool for political confrontation or interethnic tensions. Fehlinger stressed that every victim, regardless of their background, deserves identification, dignity, and justice.

“The families of the missing have waited far too long. The institutions of Kosovo and Serbia, the European Union, EULEX, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and all responsible bodies must cooperate until the fate of every missing person has been clarified.

There can be no lasting normalization between Kosovo and Serbia without uncovering the truth about missing persons, accountability for war crimes, and the full identification of the locations where the victims were buried,” Gunther Fehlinger concluded for “Bota sot”.

The post Traces of War in Zubin Potok, Fehlinger Calls for Full Investigation and EU Pressure on Serbia appeared first on Albeu.com.

The discovery of new mass graves in Kosovo has once again brought demands for justice for the victims of the war to the forefront. In this context, international criminal law professor William Schabas explained that the Kosovo Specialist Chambers could, under certain circumstances, theoretically have jurisdiction, but cases in which the suspects are members of Serbian forces should be handled by Kosovo’s justice system.

In his response to the newspaper “Bota sot,” Schabas discussed the possibility that the Specialist Chambers could investigate crimes linked to the new mass graves, which may constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law. He also addressed the legal mechanisms available to the victims’ families, who continue to wait for justice.

According to him, it is not legally ruled out that this institution could have jurisdiction over such cases. However, he recalled that the Specialist Chambers were established for an entirely different purpose.

Schabas stated that, in principle, the Specialist Chambers may prosecute crimes committed by nationals of Kosovo or the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as well as cases in which the victims were nationals of Kosovo or the FRY, provided that the offenses occurred between January 1998 and December 2000. For this reason, he said, their jurisdiction is theoretically possible.

The professor explained that the court was created to examine allegations of crimes committed by leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, who later assumed positions in the country’s institutions.

He said the Specialist Chambers were intended to address crimes allegedly committed by KLA leaders who later joined Kosovo’s government, while these cases had not been examined by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. According to Schabas, the assessment at the time was that the domestic justice system would never investigate those cases.

When the suspects in the crimes are members of Serbian forces, the legal circumstances are different, he said. Schabas assessed that, in these cases, the same political barriers that led to the creation of the Specialist Chambers do not arise.

If there is suspicion that the offenses were committed by Serbs, Kosovo’s legal system has the ability to prosecute them, he said. The professor stressed that the political obstacles present in cases related to the KLA do not exist in this situation, and therefore the victims’ rights should be upheld through Kosovo’s domestic judicial system.

In conclusion, Schabas expressed skepticism that the Specialist Chambers could expand their activities in this direction. As one reason, he cited the high costs required to operate this mechanism.

According to him, the Specialist Chambers are an extremely expensive alternative. Schabas said he does not believe that their funders, essentially the European Union, would be willing to invest further in expanding the institution’s mandate.

The post International criminal law jurist tells “Bota sot”: Do the Kosovo Specialist Chambers have jurisdiction over crimes against humanity following the discovery of… appeared first on Albeu.com.

Kosovo authorities announced on Sunday that they had identified another site in Zubin Potok where the remains of people who went missing during the war are suspected to have been buried.

According to a joint statement by the Kosovo Police and the Special Prosecution, the site is located in the village of Jabuka and was found during investigations into the case in Zubin Potok.

Acting Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla said that four bodies had so far been recovered from the site.

The new discovery has renewed attention on suspicions that Serbia’s years-long control over northern Kosovo may have been intended not only for political reasons but also to obstruct the discovery of evidence of war crimes. This is the assessment of Professor Gurakuç Kuçi, who criticizes Belgrade’s lack of cooperation in determining the fate of missing persons.

Kuçi stresses that whenever a suspected mass grave site is discovered in northern Kosovo, it raises further questions about whether maintaining Belgrade’s influence in this part of the country also served to conceal evidence of crimes committed during the war.

According to him, for more than two decades Serbia has invested in keeping the north under the influence of parallel structures and criminal groups led by Milan Radoiçiq, presenting this policy as the “protection of the Serbian people.” However, according to Kuçi, the identification of a second suspected mass grave site raises the issue to an even more serious level: the possibility that this control was used to prevent the crimes from being fully uncovered.

The professor also cites the failure to open military and police archives and the fact that Serbia is not assisting in the search for the missing. Instead, he says, figures and units linked to serious crimes during the war are being rehabilitated.

As an example, Kuçi mentions Ivica Daçiq’s inauguration of a monument dedicated to the 37th Motorized Brigade, which is linked to some of the most serious documented crimes against Albanian civilians in Kosovo. At that ceremony, he described the brigade’s soldiers as “war heroes” rather than criminals.

Kuçi says the positions taken by Serbian officials toward the discovery of mass graves, together with the glorification of units accused of war crimes, demonstrate a lack of willingness to confront the past. He adds that attacks on people who contribute to uncovering the fate of the missing make it more difficult to achieve justice.

He also draws attention to recent reactions from Serbian officials, saying that a few days after the discoveries, Daçiq attacked Serbs who tell Albanians and Croats where the graves of Albanians in Serbia are located. According to Kuçi, instead of being encouraged, such testimony is treated as treason.

Daçiq’s fellow party member and coalition partner Snezhana Paunović also said that if she had been in Slobodan Milošević’s position in 1998, she would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo. Kuçi stresses that Daçiq did not distance himself from this statement.

According to him, a state that honors units linked to war crimes, tolerates statements advocating ethnic cleansing, and attacks those who help locate mass graves is doing more than merely denying the past. He argues that this is a policy that continues to protect perpetrators, obstruct justice, and spread the belief that “anyone who commits crimes against Albanians will not be prosecuted but will be proclaimed a hero.”

Within a few days, two sites suspected of being mass graves have been identified in northern Kosovo. The first site is connected to excavations in Kalludër e Vogël in Zubin Potok, launched after the arrest of two people suspected of war crimes. It is believed that the remains of some of the 23 Albanians abducted in April 1999 may be found there.

The second site was discovered in Jabuka, also in the territory of Zubin Potok. This new case has reinforced suspicions that there may still be places in the north where war victims were concealed and which have yet to be discovered.

The post Discoveries in Zubin Potok Raise Suspicions of Efforts to Conceal Evidence of War Crimes appeared first on Albeu.com.

Kosovo’s authorities announced on Sunday the discovery of another site in Zubin Potok where the remains of people who went missing during the war are suspected to be located.

According to a joint statement by the Kosovo Police and the Special Prosecution Office, the site was identified in the village of Jabukë during investigations into the case in Zubin Potok.

Acting Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla announced that four bodies have so far been exhumed from the area.

The discovery of two sites suspected of containing mass graves in Zubin Potok has revived debate over the fate of war victims and the reasons behind Serbia’s long-standing control over northern Kosovo.

Professor Gurakuç Kuçi suspects that this control may have served not only to preserve Belgrade’s political influence, but also to conceal traces of crimes committed during the war.

Kuçi criticized Serbia’s lack of cooperation in clarifying the fate of missing persons. He also highlighted the rehabilitation of figures who have had ties to units accused of war crimes.

“Every discovery of a new site in northern Kosovo where mass graves are suspected to be located makes the question of whether Belgrade’s continued control over this part of the country had, among its reasons, the concealment of traces of war crimes increasingly unavoidable.

For more than two decades, Serbia focused on keeping the north under the influence of parallel structures and criminal groups led by Milan Radoičić. This control was presented through the rhetoric of ‘protecting the Serbian people.’ However, the discovery of a second site suspected of containing a mass grave opens up an even more serious dimension: the possibility that this control was used to prevent the full disclosure of war crimes.

Instead of contributing to clarifying the fate of the missing and making military and police archives available, Serbia is sending the opposite signals. Ivica Dačić inaugurated a monument dedicated to the 37th Motorized Brigade, which is linked to some of the most serious documented crimes against Albanian civilians in Kosovo. On that occasion, he said that members of this brigade were ‘war heroes’ and not criminals,” Kuçi said.

According to the professor, the positions taken by Serbian officials following the discovery of the suspected sites, as well as the public honoring of units linked to war crimes, demonstrate a lack of willingness to confront the past.

He assessed that attacks against people who contribute to identifying the fate of the missing constitute a direct obstacle to justice.

“A few days later, Dačić also attacked Serbs who tell Albanians and Croats the locations of the graves of Albanians in Serbia. Instead of testimony being viewed as assistance in uncovering the truth, it is treated as an act of treason.

At the same time, Snezhana Paunović, his fellow party member and coalition government colleague, said that, had she been in Slobodan Milošević’s place in 1998, she would have carried out ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Dačić did not distance himself from this statement.

When a state honors units linked to war crimes, tolerates statements supporting ethnic cleansing and attacks those who help uncover mass graves, this goes beyond denying the past. It concerns a policy that continues to protect the perpetrators, obstruct justice and spread the belief that ‘those who commit crimes against Albanians will not be prosecuted, but will be declared heroes.’”

P.S.

Within just a few days, two sites suspected of containing mass graves have been identified in northern Kosovo. The first site is linked to excavations in Kalludër e Vogël in Zubin Potok, which began after the arrest of two people suspected of war crimes. The remains of some of the 23 Albanians abducted in April 1999 are suspected to be located there. The second site was identified in Jabukë, also in Zubin Potok, adding to suspicions that places where war victims were hidden continue to exist in the north and are still awaiting discovery,” Kuçi concluded.

The post Discoveries of Suspected Graves in the North Revive Suspicions Over the Reasons for Serbian Control in Kosovo appeared first on Albeu.com.

Sonja Biserko, chair of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, has said that many mass graves remain undiscovered in Kosovo, which, according to her, demonstrate the scale of the crimes committed during the war.

Speaking in an interview with “Info Magazine,” she emphasized that the discovery of each new grave once again draws attention to the responsibility of the Serbian state, which, according to her, has never fully confronted its past.

Biserko said that the graves that have yet to be found attest to the scale of the crimes Serbia committed in Kosovo, as well as in Bosnia and Croatia. She said that each new discovery reopens the issue of Serbia’s responsibility, despite the fact that the Hague Tribunal for Yugoslavia convicted Serbia’s military and political leaders specifically for crimes committed in Kosovo.

According to her, Serbia’s war crimes court, which was established to prosecute lower-ranking individuals, did not continue this work. Biserko said that the institution effectively ceased functioning and failed to deal efficiently with the various individuals who had committed crimes.

As an example, she cited the 37th Motorized Brigade, which was commanded by Lubisha Dikoviq. As Biserko recalled, he was later promoted to the position of Chief of the General Staff.

She added that the Humanitarian Law Center had filed a criminal complaint against Dikoviq, supported by extensive data and references that, according to her, prove his responsibility for a number of war crimes committed in Kosovo.

Biserko said that Serbia’s official interpretation of the events in Kosovo, Bosnia and Croatia, as well as the entire process of Yugoslavia’s dissolution, is based on the claim that “Serbia and the Serbs are the greatest victims.” According to her, this thesis has been widely accepted and promoted not only by political elites, but also by cultural, religious and other elites.

In this context, she also spoke about a man from Istog who had revealed the location of a grave in Zubin Potok and was subsequently arrested by the BIA. According to Biserko, rather than addressing the Serbian state’s responsibility for the events in Kosovo, most citizens have adopted a different stance, while anyone who testifies to Serbia’s responsibility faces major difficulties.

According to her, the case of the man from Istog resembles an incident in Bosnia, where a Serb revealed the location of a mass grave in Tomashicë containing around 1,000, or 1000, victims.

Biserko said that people who provide such information subsequently face mistreatment, harassment and other forms of pressure. She described the man’s disclosure of the grave as a very courageous act, adding that, over time, people who know about these events can no longer bear the burden and, sooner or later, decide to speak about that history.

She also said that Serbia’s current government was part of the structures that committed crimes in Kosovo and, consequently, part of that project. Biserko recalled that a minister in the government in Belgrade, a member of the SPS party, had recently said that, had she been in Millosheviq’s position, she would have cleansed Kosovo of Albanians.

According to her, Millosheviq had attempted to carry out this ethnic cleansing by expelling more than 800,000, or over 800.000, Albanians from Kosovo, who fled to Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia. Biserko said that most of them had their personal documents destroyed so that they would have no proof of identity when they returned to Kosovo. She added that, without NATO’s intervention, it would have been very difficult for these people to return.

Speaking about the military archives, Biserko said it is difficult to expect Serbia to accept Pristina’s request to open them. According to her, the documents could shed light on responsibility for the crimes committed in Kosovo and other parts of the former Yugoslavia.

She stressed that war crimes in Kosovo were not committed solely by paramilitary formations, as the army also participated in them directly. For this reason, according to Biserko, opening the military archives would expose the responsibility of the Yugoslav Army and make it easier to identify those involved in the crimes in Kosovo, as well as in a large proportion of the crimes committed in Croatia.

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