Doubts, silence and mystery surrounding the Vukašinović case

2025-11-11 18:44:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Doubts, silence and mystery surrounding the Vukašinovi? case

The case of Milan Vukašinovi? from Leposavic, whom Kosovo authorities suspect was injured and kidnapped by the Serbian Gendarmerie, continues to cause public speculation, as Serbian authorities have not issued any statement, even ten days after the incident.

The incident took place at an unregistered border crossing with Serbia, in the village of Jellakce, in northern Kosovo. The public was initially informed by lawyer Ivan Ninic, who represents the Vukasinovic family. He expressed doubts that the Serbian Army may be involved in this case.

At the High Prosecutor's Office in Prokuplje, Serbia, he filed a criminal complaint for attempted aggravated murder against unknown members of the Serbian Army or the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as against Milan Radoi?i?, former vice-president of the Serbian List.

In 2023, Radoi?i? claimed responsibility for an armed attack in Banjska, northern Kosovo, in which a Kosovo policeman was killed. In the ensuing gunfight, three Serb attackers were also killed.

In the criminal complaint, lawyer Ninic said that Milan Vukasinovic had a “long tradition of personal conflict with Milan Radoicic” and that there were “justified reasons for the victim to be kidnapped and left to die in unclear circumstances.”

The High Prosecutor's Office in Prokuplje did not issue any statement on this case and did not respond to Radio Free Europe's questions about it.

What happened to Vukašinovi? on November 1?

Lawyer Ivan Ninic previously told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that on November 1, Milan Vukasinovic from Leposavic headed to the checkpoint in the village of Jelakce, where he had planned to meet a friend, who is an active member of the Serbian Army, but never returned home.

Ninic said he suspects that Vukasinovic was "removed" in this way as part of a broader operation by Serbian security agencies.

Vukašinovi? called his mother, Dragana Vukašinovi?, from an ambulance to tell her he was injured.

According to Nini?'s information, masked people, wearing uniforms without identification marks and driving vehicles without license plates, participated in the incident, while Vukašinovi? was initially taken to the Prokuplje hospital and then to Niš, where a kidney was removed and he remained in serious condition.

Who is investigating the case?

The Prosecutor's Office in Mitrovica told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that a person close to Vukashinovi? has been questioned and that the case is being investigated in cooperation with the Kosovo Police, but that, at this stage of the investigation, no further details can be disclosed.

Lawyer Ninic, meanwhile, posted a photo of a destroyed 'Lada Niva' car on X and claimed it belonged to Vukasinovic.

He called on the rule of law mission in Kosovo, EULEX, and the NATO peacekeeping mission, KFOR, to react.

Radio Free Europe contacted EULEX and KFOR to ask if they were informed about the details of the investigation into this case.

The only response received was from KFOR, which is responsible for the border area. It states that the Kosovo Police has launched an investigation and is working closely with several entities, including KFOR.

"The Kosovo Police has coordinated its activities on the Kosovo side of the administrative border line with KFOR ," the response states, which also emphasizes that the situation at the Kosovo-Serbia border points is calm.

Kosovo police informed the public about the Vukašinovi? case on November 3, stating that eyewitnesses had been questioned and that information had been obtained from them that “masked persons entered the territory of Kosovo, injured and kidnapped the victim and then took him to the territory of Serbia.”

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani reiterated on November 11 that the alleged kidnapping of a Kosovo citizen by Serbian Gendarmerie is “a serious provocation.” Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti said earlier that Serbia’s attacks are aimed at disciplining Serbs.

Why is Serbia silent?

Dušan Janji?, from the Belgrade Forum for Ethnic Relations, believes that the Serbian state is "entangled" in its dealings with paramilitary groups that are "taking control".

"They (Serbian authorities) will find someone to accuse... Many people have been accused of espionage or terrorism in Serbia. This is a mantra and no one believes in it anymore ," Janjic told Radio Free Europe.

According to his assessment, a much bigger problem for Serbia is that various "para-groups" are growing and that the security authorities cannot control them.

Serbia has previously accused several Serbs of spying for Kosovo, while several court cases are underway in Kosovo for espionage in favor of Serbian secret services.

Espionage allegations behind the scenes

Serbian tabloids, such as "Kurir", reported at the end of last week that the Serbian Security and Intelligence Agency (BIA) has arrested "spies" in the Raska region, suspected of having transmitted information to Kosovo's secret services.

According to the report, this action was the result of a months-long investigation and a continuation of the November 1 action, when Milan Vukšinovi? was arrested.

It is also alleged that Vukašinovi? tried to escape during his arrest and that Serbian security services used firearms. Vukašinovi?, according to this report, was given medical assistance after his injury and was transported to the Clinical Hospital Center in Niš for treatment.

It is suspected that he was also remanded in custody, but there is no official information about this. The BIA did not comment on these arrests and did not say whether the operation is related to the Vukasinovic case.

Avokati Ivan Niniç, në anën tjetër, thotë se nuk e di nëse klienti i tij është akuzuar për ndonjë krim dhe se nuk ka asnjë institucion me të cilin mund të komunikojë, sepse autoritetet serbe nuk japin informacione.

Por, narrativi se Millan Vukashinoviç është “spiun” po përhapet përmes kanaleve në Telegram. Më 8 nëntor, kanali “Koridor”, i cili ka mbi 10.000 përdorues, shkroi se “çdo spiun do të ndëshkohet”.

Me mesazhin se “një nga spiunët më të mëdhenj dhe më të respektuar është në duart tona”, u publikuan edhe fotografi të postimeve të mëparshme, duke përfshirë një listë të serbëve që dyshohet se bashkëpunojnë me shërbimet e inteligjencës në Kosovë. Kjo listë përfshin edhe emrin e Millan Vukashinoviç, me nofkën “Duduk”.

Radio Evropa e Lirë, bazuar në mjetet për njohje të fytyrës, përcaktoi se Vukashinoviç është i njëjti person që foli publikisht për presionet që iu bënë, më 28 qershor të këtij viti, në një intervistë me gazetarin dhe ish-deputetin serb, Nemanja Sharoviç, për televizionin KTV në Serbi.

Në atë rast, ai tha se serbët ishin larguar nga institucionet e Kosovës në nëntor të vitit 2022, nën presionin e Listës Serbe, dhe pretendoi se ai, personalisht, ka presion dhe se nuk ndihet i sigurt të shkojë në Serbi, sepse nuk dëshiron të japë dorëheqje.

Më pas, në kanalin e Telegramit “Koridor”, Vukashinoviç u quajt “tradhtar” dhe “spiun”. Më herët, ky kanal ishte i regjistruar si “Brigada e Veriut”. Këtë të fundit, Qeveria e Kosovës e shpalli organizatë terroriste në vitin 2023.

Kush po lufton spiunazhin?

Janjiç thotë se nuk është i befasuar nga incidenti i lidhur me Millan Vukashinoviçin dhe nuk e përjashton mundësinë që, siç shprehet, të kenë qenë të përfshira edhe struktura paraushtarake.

Ai aludon tek anëtarët e një grupi të armatosur serbësh të udhëhequr nga Radoiçiq, të cilët kryen sulmin në Banjskë, në vitin 2023.

Janjiç, gjithashtu, beson se rasti i Vukashinoviç është i lidhur me “luftën kundër spiunazhit” që përfshin udhëheqësit e njësive paraushtarake, të cilat BIA, sipas tij, “nuk mund t’i kontrollojë”.

“BIA, në fakt, nuk është më një institucion kontrolli, është një kanal përmes të cilit ata kalojnë”, thotë Janjiç dhe shton se Kosova, kohë më parë, “është shndërruar në një përballje të brendshme politike midis serbëve”.

“Ne e dimë se në Kosovë, ndërsa po formohej Lista Serbe [e cila kontrollohet nga Beogradi], nuk ishte kurrë problem të hidhje një koktej molotovi ndaj dikujt, t’i vije flakën makinës së dikujt...”, thekson Janjiç.

Lidhje me agjencitë e sigurisë?

Janjiç thotë se pjesëtarët e ‘grupit Banjska’ ishin “vullnetarë të stërvitjes ushtarake” në Serbi.

Kosova e karakterizoi këtë grup si terrorist dhe tha se me ndihmën e Ushtrisë së Serbisë planifikoi aneksimin e veriut të Kosovës - gjë të cilën Beogradi e mohoi.

Autoritetet kosovare thanë se kanë prova se përgatitjet, stërvitjet dhe ushtrimet e grupit të armatosur janë kryer në bazën “Pasulanske livade” pranë Jagodinës në Serbi dhe në Kopaonik.

In response, the Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, Milan Mojsilovi?, said that all citizens aged 18 to 60 are subject to training and that it is the "right and obligation" of citizens to respond to the call for military exercises.

However, he denied that Radoi?i? took part in military exercises. Janji? says that, currently, in Serbia, it is not known who the parapolice or paramilitaries are.

"These are people who are currently doing a very important job, as [Serbian President Aleksandar] Vu?i? sees it, in defending his authority ," he tells Radio Free Europe.

In early June, a video circulating on social media showed people from the 'Banjska group' at a protest in front of the Serbian Presidency in Belgrade.

Using facial recognition tools, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was able to identify Vladimir Vu?eti? from North Mitrovica - one of 45 people charged by the Kosovo Prosecutor's Office for the attack in Banjska - as part of the group. Based on social media footage, RFE/RL identified at least 11 people gathered in different groups - all wearing identical, olive-colored T-shirts. /REL