The family of slain brothers Bytyci appeals to the United States for pressure on Vuciqi

Praveen Greatirayu, the legal representative of the Bytyci family told BIRN that the family wants Pence to handle the matter directly, to ensure that promises made to American officials are respected more than those made to protect Goran Radosavljevic.

The Bytyci family believes that Radosavljevic, former commander of a special police unit and training centre in Petrovo Selo, where the three brothers were held before they were killed, is the prime suspect in the case. Radosavljevic is now retired, but remains active in politics as a member of the executive board of the Serbian Vuciqi Progressive Party. He has been questioned about the death of his brothers, but no charges have been filed against him.

“President Vuciq has the ability to advance this issue,” said Greatirayu, adding that the family sees with scepticism any promises or information Vuciqi offers.

Yll, Agron and Mehmet Bytyqi went to fight for the Kosovo Liberation Army against Belgrade forces and were arrested by Serbian police after the war ended, as they crossed an unmarked border line between Serbia and Kosovo. After carrying out their sentences for illegal border violations, they were again arrested as they left the area prison in the town of Prokuple in southern Serbia. They were taken to the police training centre in Petrovo Selo and held at a warehouse there. Then they were tied by strangers and taken to a garbage dump where they were executed with bullets in their neck on July 9, 1999.

The Bytyci family has accused Vucic of constantly violating promises to resolve the issue and has refused to keep the family informed about the investigation. They also say that Vuciqi “has falsely presented new trials to important diplomats”, and has not taken reliable steps to encourage and protect witnesses.

The issue has continued to be a major bilateral problem between Serbia and the US. Prior to Vuciki's visit to Washington, US Ambassador to Belgrade Kyle Scott met with the new Serbian war crimes prosecutor to talk about the issue.

“Ambassador stressed US concern over the remaining unresolved issue”, the US Embassy said later in a statement.

“The question of resolving the killings of the Bytyci brothers is a test of Serbia's readiness to accept what it did in Kosovo”, Dusan Janjic of the Forum for Ethnic Relations said. /Philip Rudiq/ BIRN/