Office for Kosovo and Metohija: Verdict against three Serbs a fabricated political process

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija issued a statement declaring that "the so-called Basic Court in Pristina today convicted, without any evidence or credible witnesses, two Serbs – Milun Milenkovic and Aleksandar Vlajic, for a non-existent act of terrorism, and Dejan Pantic for hooliganism, in a fabricated political process that can be described as a classic abuse of the judiciary by Albin Kurti."

"The entire court process against these Serbs was marked by direct interference and involvement from Albin Kurti and Xhelal Svecla, who declared Milenkovic, Vlajic, and Pantic guilty and labeled them as some sort of terrorists even before the process began, without evidence, but with a clear goal to pressure the court into convicting them in order to criminalize the entire Serbian population in the north of Kosovo and Metohija," the statement said.

The Office reminded that Milenkovic is a respected athlete, winner of numerous medals, and a coach of many youth generations, who was brutally beaten and mistreated by Kurti's special forces during his arrest, for which video footage exists.

"However, there is no evidence whatsoever that Milenkovic, Vlajic, or Pantic were involved in the events surrounding the Municipal Election Commission offices in December 2022, nor was anyone injured at the time. What there is undeniable evidence and video footage of, however, is Svecla overturning EULEX vehicles, attacking individuals under international protection, and throwing tear gas and stun grenades in the Pristina parliament, yet he avoids prosecution for these documented acts of terrorism by every means possible. Just as the member of the so-called Kosovo Security Force, Azem Kurtaj, who shot at Serbian children on Christmas Eve, remains a free man today," the statement emphasized.

It also highlights that this reflects the total absence of the rule of law and the bias of the judiciary in Pristina, which convicts Serbs without guilt, crime, or evidence to lengthy prison sentences under direct political pressure, while simultaneously absolving Pristina politicians or perpetrators of crimes against Serbs of any responsibility.

"The Office for Kosovo and Metohija will continue to bring attention to this lack of the rule of law and justice for Serbs to all relevant international actors, because Pristina’s ultimate goal is to use institutional violence to intimidate Serbs, send the message that there is no future for them in Kosovo and Metohija, and ultimately expel them from their homes in order to complete its policy of an ethnically pure Kosovo and Metohija," the Office concluded.