Office for Kosovo and Metohija: No one held accountable for the crime in Livadica even after more than two decades

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija issued a statement stating that even after more than two decades since the horrific Livadica massacre near Podujevo, in which 12 Serbs were killed and 43 were injured, no one has been held accountable.

"Today marks 23 years since one of the most monstrous terrorist attacks took place on the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, where 12 Serbs were killed, and 43 were injured. In Livadica near Podujevo, an explosion occurred under the bridge on the main road, detonating the 'Nis Ekspres' bus carrying displaced Serbs escorted by KFOR soldiers to Gracanica for All Souls' Day," the statement reads.

It emphasizes that the victims of this heinous attack were: Suncica Pejcic, Zivana Tokic, Slobodan Stojanovic, Mirjana Dragovic, Veljko Stakic, Nenad Stojanovic, Milinko Kragovic, Lazar Milkic, Dragan Vukotic, and Nebojsa, Snezana, and two-year-old Danilo Cokic.

"Even after more than two decades, no one has been held accountable for this crime, neither the perpetrators nor their masterminds, which, among other things, testifies to the complete incompetence and lack of interest of the provisional self-government institutions in Pristina in facing the atrocities committed in the name of the so-called independent Kosovo, as well as to the passivity of the international community. It is disheartening that this case was closed, and the only suspect, Florim Ejupi, who was sentenced to 40 years in prison in the first instance, was acquitted by the so-called Supreme Court of Kosovo in 2009 due to lack of evidence," the statement says.

They add that the crime in Livadica occurred in the presence of international security forces, making it a failure of the international community in Kosovo, which proved incapable of ensuring security for Serbs in Kosovo and justice for all victims.

"We remind that the killers of Serbian children in Gorazdevac, 14 harvesters in Staro Gracko, the Stolic family in Obilic, and those who almost daily set fire to and demolish Serbian homes and desecrate churches and monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija remain unknown... Unfortunately, Serbs are still second-class citizens in Kosovo and Metohija, subjected to various forms of discrimination, pressure, and intimidation aimed at their expulsion from the province. The hatred that took the lives of our compatriots in Livadica still exists, making it impossible to expect Pristina to participate in the normalization of relations and the creation of a peaceful society in Kosovo and Metohija," they state.

Therefore, they demand from the international community and Pristina to reopen investigations into all crimes against the Serbian people and other non-Albanians in Kosovo, because until that is done, Kosovo will remain a haven and safe zone for criminals and terrorists.

"The Government of the Republic of Serbia will never cease seeking justice for the victims of this and other monstrous crimes committed throughout the province," the Office for Kosovo and Metohija concludes.