Germany Seeks Independent Probe Into Raskovic Case

The German Embassy in Pristina has demanded an independent investigation into the case of Nenad Raskovic, a resident of the village of Dren near Zubin Potok who says he was beaten by Kosovo police officers after they searched his house. In a written response to media, published on August 13, the embassy said it was deeply concerned about the serious allegations of an attack on Raskovic and that, as the statement put it, “any form of intentional violence and abuse by law enforcement is unacceptable.”

The reaction from one of the Quint countries came as Kosovo police continued an operation in the villages of Ibarski Kolasin, in the municipality of Zubin Potok, which they describe as a search for illegal weapons. The Raskovic case has thus moved from a medical and police matter into a diplomatic one.

In the same response, the embassy specified what it expects from institutions in Pristina:

“The competent authorities must investigate these allegations thoroughly and independently, and those responsible must be held accountable.”

What is being demanded, then, is not only a review of the allegations but also an effort to establish accountability among those who took part in the search.

Trajkovic Writes to the EU, the Quint and the OSCE

On the same day, Momcilo Trajkovic, president of the Serbian National Forum from Gracanica, sent an open letter to the European Union, the Quint countries and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. In the letter he requested three things:

• an urgent and independent investigation into the case
• full protection for the victim and any potential witnesses
• international oversight of the investigation

That expanded the number of addresses where the case is being raised, from Pristina to the international mechanisms present in Kosovo and Metohija.

What Raskovic Says Happened to Him

Raskovic told media that three police officers first beat him inside his house in Dren, then handcuffed him, took him into the woods and tied him to a beech tree. There, he says, they beat him with a hose and gagged him. He also said they demanded a rifle from him, which he does not have.

Zlatan Elek, director of the Clinical Center in Kosovska Mitrovica, confirmed that Raskovic sustained multiple injuries, including a broken rib. After being admitted to the hospital in Mitrovica, he was transferred to the Emergency Center in Belgrade. The Kosovo Police Inspectorate has opened a preliminary investigation into the case.

The search in Dren, which included Raskovic’s property, took place on August 11. The allegations of violence surfaced immediately after that operation.

Searches Continue, Automatic Rifle Found in Dren

The operation in Ibarski Kolasin has been running for several days and has so far covered the villages of Oklace, Dren, Prevlaka, Jabuka, Crepulja and Brnjak. On August 13, police searched one location in Oklace and one in Dren, according to Veton Eljsani, deputy commander of Kosovo police for the northern region. An automatic rifle was found in Dren, and two people were taken in for questioning after the search. Eljsani said they would go through the regular procedure and that there was, for now, no talk of them being detained.

Albanian-language media published photos and footage of the weapon found in Dren and linked some of those reports to the area near Raskovic’s house. Asked whether the rifle was found close to his home, Eljsani gave a short reply:

“We’re not commenting on that.”

He neither confirmed nor denied the reports. Police have not yet released an overall tally of the multi-day operation, and Eljsani said the information would likely be published once the operation is complete.

Are the Searches Linked to the War Crimes Investigation?

Since this month, the same area has also seen separate activity tied to war crimes investigations and the search for human remains. In Mala Kaludra, and then at two more locations in the municipality of Zubin Potok, investigators confirmed the presence of human remains. That investigation is separate, and police have not said whether the weapons searches are part of a single operation or are connected to it in any way.

What has been confirmed is that Eljsani describes the operation in Ibarski Kolasin as a search for illegal weapons that is still ongoing. A final tally, according to police, has yet to be published, and there is still no word on when the Kosovo Police Inspectorate will release the findings of its preliminary investigation into the Raskovic case.