Verdict to be delivered in Banjska case on April 24

(Patria) - The Basic Court in Pristina will deliver the verdict on April 24 against three defendants for the armed attack on the Kosovo Police in Banjska near Zvečan in September 2023.

During their closing arguments, the Special Prosecution of Kosovo requested life imprisonment for the three defendants in the Banjska case.

Out of 45 defendants for the armed attack in Banjska, only three are being tried - Vladimir Tolić, Blagoje Spasojević, and Dušan Maksimović, while the others are on the run.

Last week, Stefan Radulović was also arrested at the Merdare crossing, who is also suspected of participating in the attack in Banjska.

Otherwise, Tolić, Spasojević, and Maksimović deny the charges against them and claim they did not intend to kill anyone.

Defense attorneys stated in their closing arguments today that the prosecution has not proven individual guilt, but rather encompasses all defendants.

Milan Radoičić, former vice-president of the Srpska Lista - the largest party of Serbs in Kosovo with the support of Belgrade - claimed responsibility for the September 2023 attack, in which one Kosovo police officer and three Serbian attackers were killed.

The prosecution requested that Radoičić and others on the run be tried in absentia, but the Basic Court dismissed this request as unfounded.

Otherwise, 42 suspects are charged with terrorism, serious criminal offenses against the constitutional order and security of Kosovo, while Radoičić is also charged with enabling and financing the commission of terrorism, as well as money laundering.

The Special Prosecutor stated in his presentation that the goal of the armed group of Serbs, which according to him was previously trained in Serbia, was to annex the north, with a majority Serb population, to Serbia.

Kosovo also accuses Serbia of being behind the attack in Banjska, which official Belgrade denies.