Slobodan Radenkovic sentenced to two years in prison for attack on KFOR in Zvecan

The Basic Court in Pristina has sentenced Slobodan Radenkovic to two years in prison for attacking members of KFOR and the Kosovo Police in Zvecan in May 2023.

In addition to the unique sentence of two years, he was also imposed a fine of 15 thousand euros, reports Betimi për Drejtësi - media specializing in reporting from the field of justice.

The sentence was handed down on Wednesday, April 29, after Radenkovic reached a plea agreement with the Kosovo Special Prosecution Office.

Radenkovic was sentenced to imprisonment for the criminal offense of assault on an official, while the sentence for the offense of participating in a crowd that committed the criminal offense of hooliganism was replaced with a fine.

He has been in custody since January 14 of this year and time spent in custody will be credited towards his sentence.

The indictment against Radenkovic was filed by the Special Prosecution on April 16. He is accused of having participated in the commission of criminal offenses on May 29, 2023 in Zvecan, in front of the municipal building, in coordination with other suspected Serbs from Kosovo and Serbia.

According to the indictment, through violence against members of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, using force, improvised explosive devices, and firearms, at least 30 members of KFOR were injured, three of whom suffered serious injuries from firearms, as well as several members of the Kosovo Police.

It also states that the accused, with other suspects, attempted to prevent the establishment of constitutional order in the northern municipalities through violence.

Even in the past, people were convicted for the violence in Zvecan after pleading guilty, while dozens of others have been arrested.

What happened in Zvecan?

On May 29, 2023, 93 KFOR members were injured after clashes with Serbian protesters. There were also injuries from this clash on the protesters' side.

The violence in Zvecan erupted after local Serbs opposed the entry of new Albanian mayors into municipal buildings in Zvecan, Leposavić and Zubin Potok, municipalities in northern Kosovo inhabited by a Serb majority, following local elections held earlier that year, which were boycotted by local Serbs. Authorities in Kosovo have blamed Serbia for the violence in Zvecan, saying that “criminal groups close to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić” were behind the violence.

But Belgrade has rejected this accusation, saying that the Kosovo government was aiming to push the Serbs "towards a new conflict with NATO."

NATO has consistently called for the perpetrators of violence to be held accountable.

The Geopost