During her visit to Kosovo, British MP Alicia Kearns disclosed that an international investigation is underway to probe the terrorist attack that occurred in Banjska, Zveçan, on September 24th.
Kearns confirmed this development in an interview with investigative journalist Jeta Xharra on Sunday.
“I will wait for the conclusion of the international investigation. I think it’s very important that it happens very soon […] I understand that one of the international countries, is doing an international investigation is doing the investigation themselves and that will be published and of course the Kosovo government themselves they are still concluding their investigation as well, “ she added.
Kearns did not reveal which state is leading the investigation.
“I’m not sure if that’s publicly known, so I will avoid commenting at this point,” said the MP.
Several months ago, Kearns had issued a warning about Serbs transporting weapons in ambulances to churches in the northern regions of Kosovo, highlighting the potential danger of this situation.
“I wanted to see for myself exactly what kind of weapons were found, because obviously I’d warned about it in advance.” she said on the Kallxo Pernime TV show.
Kearns described the weapons found in the Banjska area as heavy-grade military arms, bearing Serbian markings.
“These are not from the [Slobodan] Milosevic era, these are not ancient weapons, some of them are, but they were grenades with dates from 2021 on them and these are not small weapons caches that the everyday organized crime group could get their hand on. These are military-grade incredibly serious weapons that are not for low-level criminality,”she cautioned, expressing her deep concern.
Kearns acknowledged that preventing determined attackers from entering a country and causing havoc is a challenging task but expressed her confidence in NATO’s mission in Kosovo – KFOR.
During her visit, the MP also met with the family of the slain policeman, Afrim Bunjakut.
She revealed that she received threats from Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who labeled her a “Muslim lobbyist” and claimed he would investigate her.
“Let’s be clear, this is dangerous rhetoric. The weaponization of the term ‘Muslim’ is exactly what we should be taking a stand against.,” Kearns emphasized.
Kearns expressed surprise over why the organizer of the Banjska attack, former chairman of the Serbian List, Milan Radoicic, remains in Serbia without facing trial in Kosovo.
“[…] he should be extradited to Kosovo to face justice once the Government of Kosovo is prepared to bring forward prosecution.”
Radoicic had been arrested by Serbian authorities and subsequently released with certain conditions, including a travel ban preventing him from entering Kosovo. The Serbian government has denied involvement in the Banjska attack.
Deputy Kearns stressed her support for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia but emphasized that accountability and justice for past events must precede any progress.
“What I hope to see now is the international community saying ‘enough is enough.’ The security situation has changed, and there must be accountability and justice. We all understand that reconciliation cannot occur without justice.”
“There can be no political dialogue that brings real change to what we want before there is accountability […] ambition is what enables Kosovo and Serbia to live independent lives, successful lives,” Kearns said.
Kearns suggested that Kosovo should not bear the burden of negative measures, but rather the European Union should focus on Serbia after the events of September 24.
“When [Aleksandar] Vucic declared two days of mourning for the terrorists who entered Kosovo and killed someone, the EU should have immediately implemented punitive measures. They didn’t need a vote on it,” she stated.
She mentioned that the UK did not impose measures on Kosovo but instead increased its military presence within KFOR to provide assistance.
“I’m extremely proud of the rapid response from the UK. In a matter of 48 to 72 hours, we deployed additional forces to protect Kosovo’s borders. This is not just our duty as Britain, but a testament to our commitment to Kosovo’s well-being.”
Nonetheless, Kearns asserted that the UK should voice its disagreements with friends like the EU and the US.
She stressed that many are trying to silence the voices of Kosovars and rewrite history. She views it as her responsibility to prevent conflicts, which is why she is outspoken about Kosovo.
Kearns also condemned sexual violence against women during the war in Kosovo. During the interview, she wore a pin made by a survivor of sexual violence from the last war in Kosovo.
23 October 2023 - 18:06
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