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The President of Serbia said that Milan Radoićić is on the Interpol red list for Kosovo-related issues and not for criminal activity. Analysts believe that the statement is aimed at his political protection and that the lack of criminal prosecution has damaged Serbia's international credibility...
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić declared on Monday that Milan Radoićić, who claimed responsibility for organizing the armed attack in the village of Banjska in September 2023, is on Interpol's red list "for Kosovo and Metohija", and not for criminal activity.
The statement was made during a press conference, after a journalist from N1 television asked why Radoicic and Zvonko Veselinovic enjoy protection from active members of the Serbian Gendarmerie.
Vučić said that Radoićić is not wanted by Interpol for crimes, but "for Kosovo and Metohija", adding that he is being prosecuted for political reasons and not as a criminal. He also mentioned Veselinović, who is under sanctions by the United States and the United Kingdom.
However, there is a criminal case against Radoićić in Serbia. The High Public Prosecutor's Office accuses him of conspiracy to commit criminal offenses, illegal production, possession and trafficking of weapons and explosives, as well as serious offenses against public security.
During questioning, he denied the charges, although he had previously publicly admitted to organizing the group that participated in the Banjska events. The court rejected the request for detention and imposed restrictive measures, prohibiting him from leaving Serbia without the court's permission and from entering the territory of Kosovo.
People's Movement of Serbia MP Aleksandar Ivanovic told the newspaper Danas that Vučić's statement constitutes "political spin." According to him, Radoićić is wanted because he organized and armed the group that participated in the Banjska incident, a fact that, according to Ivanovic, he himself has publicly admitted.
Ivanovic believes that the event in Banjska has severely damaged the international position of Serbia and the Serbs in Kosovo. He adds that the authorities in Pristina have repeatedly used this event to justify new measures against the Serbian community.
He also criticizes the lack of institutional transparency in Serbia regarding the case, emphasizing that public opinion has still not received answers about the circumstances that led to the presence of an armed group in the Banjska Monastery.
Political scientist Ognjen Gogic told Danas that Vucic's claim implies that both UNMIK and Interpol would be part of a political prosecution of Radoicic, as Kosovo is not a member of Interpol and requests for red notices are submitted through UNMIK, while the final decision is made by the Interpol General Secretariat after verifying the legal conditions.
According to Gogic, the Serbian president's statement aims to send a message to Radoicic that political support for him will continue.
He recalls that the European Union and NATO have repeatedly demanded a full investigation into the events in Banjska and the prosecution of those responsible. If Serbia does not want to extradite Radoić to Kosovo, says Gogić, it was expected that the Serbian authorities themselves would conduct an effective investigation and trial, which, according to him, has not happened.
The political scientist estimates that the lack of criminal proceedings against Radoićić has significantly damaged Serbia's credibility in relation to the international community and has weakened its position when raising concerns about judicial proceedings against Serbs in Kosovo. /Adapted Pamphlet /
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