Following the completion of excavations and the exhumation of human remains, three mass graves have been confirmed in Kalludër e Vogël and Jabukë in Zubin Potok.

The Government Commission on Missing Persons announced that the remains of 23 people who were forcibly disappeared during the war in Kosovo had been discovered at these locations.

The next step is to send the remains to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for forensic examinations, while the victims’ identities will be established through DNA analysis. Once the procedures have been completed, the families will be officially informed.

Political analyst Gani Mehmeti told “Bota sot” that Serbia is avoiding efforts to uncover the fate of those killed during the 1999 war in Kosovo.

According to Mehmeti, this conduct is linked to political interests, while the issue of missing persons is part of the 2016 agreement reached within the Kosovo–Serbia dialogue on locating and uncovering mass graves containing Albanians.

He recalled that NATO’s bombing of Serbian military and police targets during the 1999 war led to the 1999 Kumanovo Agreement and the withdrawal of Serbian troops from Kosovo. Mehmeti expressed the gratitude of the people of Kosovo to NATO, the United States and all other NATO member states. According to him, after the war and the arrival of UNMIK, Serbia retained considerable influence in Kosovo.

Mehmeti claims that Serbia is deliberately avoiding the discovery of the bodies of those killed during the war, using the issue as a political tool and as a means of exerting pressure on the families, Kosovo and the international community.

He accused Serbia not only of failing to cooperate in uncovering the fate of missing persons, but also of obstructing the process. According to him, this became evident after the discovery of three graves in Zubin Potok, when Serbian President Aleksandër Vuçiq downplayed the event and focused on the case of Rashkoviq, who claims that he was mistreated by the Kosovo police.

The analyst said that information presented by Serbia cannot be trusted because, according to him, the Serbian authorities are known for staging incidents that serve their interests.

Referring to statements by Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sfeçla, Mehmeti stressed that Vuçiq is trying to divert attention from the discovery of the three mass graves and 71 long guns and other weapons by shifting the focus to Rashkoviq. He added that the Kosovo police are investigating the case, as they should.

However, Mehmeti questioned why Serbia needs the bodies of the Albanians who were killed and who, according to him, have been kept hidden for a full 27 years by Serbian military and police units. He stressed that the victims were civilians and posed no threat to anyone, and that their remains should therefore be returned to their families so they can commemorate them with a flower as a sign of love, loss and longing.

Mehmeti also criticized the silence of the international community, calling on it to become more actively involved and impose conditions on Serbia to ensure that the fate of all missing persons is fully clarified.

According to him, Serbia is exploiting the issue to spread disinformation among the international public and Kosovo’s partners, with the aim of turning them against Kosovo. However, he believes that the international community is now well acquainted with Serbia’s true nature and that its actions can only serve to expose it.

The analyst concluded that the EU and Western countries must hold Serbia accountable and compel it to cooperate fully until all the bodies of Albanians missing from their families and from Kosovo are found. He stressed that no further games should be allowed with the feelings of Albanians and the pain endured by families over their missing relatives.

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The American news agency Associated Press has reported on the start of excavation work at the mass graves recently discovered in Kalludër e Vogël, in the municipality of Zubin Potok.

The search aims to find traces of people who have been missing since the 1998–1999 war in Kosovo. In its article, AP also conveys the pain of family members who have been waiting for years to learn what happened to their loved ones.

About 13,000 people lost their lives during the war in Kosovo. “Tensions between the two countries continue to persist. In May 2023, Kosovo and Serbia reached an agreement that included commitments by both sides to shed light on the fate of missing persons,” AP writes.

A few days before the latest excavations began, the Kosovo Police announced that it had arrested two Serbs suspected of war crimes linked to the mass graves. The two suspects remain in detention.

A United Nations tribunal in The Hague, the Netherlands, has tried and convicted several senior Serbian political and military officials for war crimes in Kosovo.

Erblin Ademi was carrying a photograph of his father, in which he can be seen holding him in his arms during his childhood.

“Everyone has the right to have a grave that can be visited, where they can be honored and remembered,” Ademi said.

“We very much hope that this will be the end. Regardless of how long the entire process takes, we will wait until we can honor them as they deserve,” he said, AP reports.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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A new site suspected of containing the remains of people who went missing during the war has been discovered in Zubin Potok. The news was announced on Sunday by Kosovo’s law enforcement authorities.

In a joint statement, the Kosovo Police and the Special Prosecutor’s Office said the site had been identified in the village of Jabukë during ongoing investigations related to the case in Zubin Potok.

According to acting Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla, four bodies have so far been exhumed from the site.

Professor Gurakuç Kuçi believes the identification of new sites suspected of being mass graves raises questions about whether Serbia’s uninterrupted control over northern Kosovo was also used to conceal evidence of war crimes.

Kuçi criticizes Serbia for its lack of cooperation in establishing the fate of missing persons, while also drawing attention to the rehabilitation of figures linked to units accused of crimes during the war.

“With every new site discovered in northern Kosovo that is suspected of concealing mass graves, the question becomes increasingly unavoidable as to whether keeping the north continuously under Belgrade’s control also served the purpose of hiding evidence of war crimes.

For more than two decades, Serbia worked to maintain its influence in the north through parallel structures and criminal groups led by Milan Radoiçiq. Rhetoric about ‘protecting the Serbian people’ was used as justification. However, the identification of a second site suspected of being a mass grave gives the issue another, far more serious dimension: the suspicion that this control may also have been used to obstruct the full disclosure of war crimes.

Instead of helping to clarify the fate of the missing and making police and military archives available, Serbia is sending entirely opposite signals. Ivica Daçiq inaugurated a monument dedicated to the 37th Motorized Brigade, which has been linked to some of the most serious documented crimes against Albanian civilians in Kosovo, and declared that its members were ‘war heroes,’ not criminals,” he said.

According to Kuçi, the way Serbian officials have responded to the discovery of mass graves, together with their glorification of units linked to war crimes, demonstrates a lack of willingness to confront the past.

He emphasizes that justice is also undermined by attacks against people who contribute to uncovering the fate of the missing.

In this context, Kuçi also mentions the two sites discovered in Zubin Potok that are suspected of being mass graves.

“Just a few days later, he also attacked Serbs who tell Albanians and Croats where the graves of Albanians in Serbia are located. Instead of supporting contributions to uncovering the truth, even testifying is considered an act of treason.

Meanwhile, Snezhana Paunović, his fellow party member and governing partner, declared that if she had been in Slobodan Milošević’s position in 1998, she would have ethnically cleansed Kosovo. Daçiq did not distance himself from her statement.

When a state glorifies units linked to war crimes, defends statements calling for ethnic cleansing, and attacks those who help locate mass graves, this goes beyond denying the past. It is a policy that continues to protect the perpetrators, obstruct justice, and spread the idea that ‘those who commit crimes against Albanians will not be prosecuted, but will be declared heroes.’

P.S.

Within the space of a few days, two sites suspected of being mass graves have been found in northern Kosovo. The first site concerns excavations in Kalludër e Vogël, Zubin Potok, which began 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 located there. Another site has since been identified in Jabukë, also in Zubin Potok, reinforcing suspicions that there are still places in the north where war victims were hidden and are still waiting to be found,” Kuçi concluded.

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The discovery of two more mass graves linked to the war in Kosovo has prompted a response from Jasmin Mujanović, a political scientist specializing in Southeast European politics. The sites are suspected of containing the remains of Albanian victims of Slobodan Milošević’s regime.

In a post on X, Mujanović said the discovery of the graves, where around two dozen Albanian victims are believed to have been buried, shows that the regional consequences of Belgrade’s murderous campaign during the 1990s remain recent and continue to be largely unaddressed.

According to him, the case once again draws attention to the unhealed scars left across the region by Belgrade’s violent campaigns in the 1990s.

Mujanović also stressed that thousands of victims are still considered missing, while the political structures and norms established across the region during the Milošević era remain unreformed.

He also criticized the international community, saying it remains preoccupied with its own limited efforts to disregard these issues.

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Zejnulla Gashi, the Chief State Prosecutor, has praised Kosovo’s law enforcement institutions for the commitment and work that led to the discovery of a mass grave in Zubin Potok. Human remains were found at the site, while there are suspicions that the bodies of other victims of the latest war in Kosovo may also be located there.

In a public statement, Gashi said the development was part of ongoing institutional efforts to clarify the fate of missing persons and ensure justice.

According to the Chief State Prosecutor, the discovery of the mass grave marks an important step in the state’s efforts to bring the truth to light and create opportunities for justice to be served.

Gashi stressed that investigating and shedding light on such cases constitutes not only a legal obligation, but also an institutional and moral responsibility toward the victims of the war and their families.

He also praised the coordination and cooperation between institutions and citizens in the area where excavations are being carried out, describing this cooperation as essential to advancing the investigation.

The Chief State Prosecutor stressed that the support of institutions and citizens is essential both for identifying the victims and for uncovering those responsible for these crimes and bringing them to justice.

Excavations and examinations at the site in Zubin Potok are expected to continue, with the aim of determining whether other human remains belonging to victims of the war are located in the area.

So far, three people have been arrested in connection with this development.

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Zejnulla Gashi, the Chief State Prosecutor, praised Kosovo’s law enforcement institutions for the work and dedication they demonstrated in uncovering the mass graves in Zubin Potok. Human remains have been found in the area, while there are suspicions that the bodies of other victims of the last war in Kosovo may also be located there.

In a public statement, Gashi described the discovery as part of an important state effort to bring the truth to light and enable justice to be served.

According to him, investigating and clarifying such cases is a legal and institutional responsibility toward the victims and their families.

The Chief State Prosecutor also commended the presence and coordination between institutions and citizens at the scene. He emphasized that their assistance is essential both for identifying the victims and for finding those responsible for these crimes and bringing them to justice.

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Analyst Rron Gjinovci issued a strong reaction following reports that Serbian authorities had detained a man of Serbian origin from Istog. He is accused of espionage because he had previously provided testimony concerning a mass grave recently discovered in Mitrovica.

In a post on social media, Gjinovci stressed that the very nature of the accusation—espionage—reveals Serbia’s position on the matter. According to him, treating the mass grave as a “state secret” necessarily implies that its discovery threatens a truth for which the state bears direct responsibility.

He argued that information is classified as a state secret precisely because it concerns serious implications for the state itself. “Serbia is admitting that the mass grave is its state secret. Because you can only commit espionage when you uncover state secrets,” Gjinovci explained in his reaction, concluding that this action confirms state involvement.

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