A court in Kosovo has sentenced two ethnic Serbs to life in prison and a third to 30 years for their roles in a 2023 clash that left four people dead. The Basic Court in Pristina convicted the men of violating the constitutional order and inciting terror activities, with the aim of seceding northern Kosovo to Serbia.
Judge Ngadhenjim Arni stated that the defendants were part of a well-organised plan to separate northern municipalities from Kosovo and annex them to Serbia. The September 2023 incident involved heavily armed Serb men setting up barricades and engaging in a gun battle with police in Banjska village, resulting in the deaths of one police officer and three gunmen.
Kosovo has accused Serbia of supporting the group, a claim Belgrade denies. Serbia does not recognise Kosovo's 2008 independence. Among those still at large is group leader Milan Radoicic, a politician and businessman with ties to Serbia's ruling party, who has been sanctioned by the US and UK but not tried.
One defendant, Blagoje Spasojevic, told the court, "This was my biggest mistake in life ... but I did not kill anyone." Lawyers argued the prosecution failed to prove charges and plan to appeal the verdict, which they called "too harsh." The trial covered only three of 45 initially charged individuals.
