Croatia sends two arrested for espionage to detention, Kosovo ready to cooperate

2025-08-28 18:14:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Croatia has remanded two suspects in custody for espionage for Serbia, while authorities in Kosovo said they are ready to cooperate in the case, as "the activities of the arrested were carried out in Kosovo". The Split District Prosecutor's Office announced on 28 August that, after receiving a criminal complaint from the Independent Sector for Military Police Affairs a day earlier, it had taken the first investigative actions and issued a decision to initiate an investigation against a citizen of the Republic of Croatia (born in 1971) for the criminal offense of espionage, and against a citizen of the Republic of Serbia (born in 1979) for the same criminal offense. Also, "by decision of the Split District Prosecutor's Office, the entire investigation has been declared confidential, on the grounds that the publication of data from the procedure could harm the development of the investigation". According to the Croatian media outlet Index, the pilot Korat JI and his girlfriend, a Serb from North Mitrovica, are suspected of spying for Serbia. It is reported that she worked for the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo, EULEX. According to Index, which cited sources, it is suspected that the Croatian pilot, who is engaged in the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, gave confidential information to his partner, which she then passed on to members of the Serbian List. The Serbian List is the main Serb party in Kosovo, which enjoys the support of official Belgrade. The Split District Prosecutor's Office has proposed to the investigating judge of the Split District Court to order pre-trial detention for the first defendant, due to the risk of influencing witnesses and repeating the criminal offense, while for the second defendant due to the risk of escape, influencing witnesses and repeating the criminal offense. “The investigating judge has partially accepted the prosecution’s request and has ordered pre-trial detention for the first defendant due to the risk of influencing witnesses, and for the second defendant due to the risk of flight and influencing witnesses,” the Split District Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement. “However, the proposal for pre-trial detention for both defendants was rejected due to the risk of reoffending. The Split District Prosecutor’s Office has announced that it will file an appeal against the part of the decision that rejected its request.” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has asked KFOR about the case, but has not yet received a response. The spokesperson for the acting Government of Kosovo, Përparim Kryeziu, said that "given that the activity of AM and the Croatian citizen, both arrested in Croatia, took place in Kosovo, our institutions are fully prepared to cooperate with the institutions of Croatia for the further development of the investigations and the full disclosure of the activities and network of action". Meanwhile, the deputy of the Serbian List, Igor Simi?, after the session of the Kosovo Assembly held on August 28,was asked by journalists about this case. He replied briefly that neither he nor any other exponent of the Serbian List knows AM, denying that any of them had any connection with him./REL