Gani Koci, a former deputy economic minister and member of the Steering Council of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, used threatening language against a number of politicians, journalists and other notable public figures in two social media posts made on Friday.

“Time has come not to disinfect, but to close these Serbian septic tanks that remain in Kosovo. They are stinking a lot,” wrote Koci in a quickly deleted Facebook post, attaching a photo of a number of high profile figures from politics and the media.

The photo featured Vjosa Osmani, the Speaker of the Kosovo Assembly, Albin Kurti, the former prime minister, Haki Abazi, the former deputy prime minister, Veton Surroi, publicist and founder of the Koha Ditore newspaper, Shkelzen Gashi, a former advisor to Kurti, and Jeta Xharra, BIRN Kosovo’s executive director. Also included were Rron Gjinovci, the head of the ORCA NGO, as well as historian Jusuf Buxhovi, Vetevendosje MPs Fitore Pacolli, Fatmire Kollcaku, Arberie Nagavci, and former MPs Drita Millaku and Ilir Deda.

Soon after the post disappeared, Koci complained that Vetevendosje “militants” had his post removed by reporting it to Facebook.

“UDBA-sh [members of the Serbian secret service] from Vetevendosje deleted the status that I made about Serbian septic tanks that remain in Kosovo,” he wrote in a second post, before reiterating his statement about the need to “cover them with concrete.”

BIRN contacted Kosovo prosecutor Blerim Isufaj to ask if the prosecution considered the post a criminal offense, and whether any measures would be taken concerning the incident, but Isufaj responded that he had not seen the post. “I haven’t seen it, I haven’t read it and I cannot speak now,” the prosecutor said.

BIRN contacted PDK’s spokesperson Avni Bytyci to ask for the party’s view on Koci’s statements, but received no response by the time of publication. The Association of Kosovo Journalists told BIRN that it could not yet comment on the posts, but Gentiana Begolli, the head of the Association, stated that she has raised the issue with the board.