Serbian Union seeks investigation for Kosovo journalists killed

On the 19th anniversary of the kidnapping of two Serbian journalists from Radio Pristina during the Kosovo war, a Serbian media union, The UNS has called on EULEX, the UN, UNMIK, the War Crimes Prosecutor in Serbia and the War Crimes Court in Kosovo to investigate these and other killings and also to work on the discovery of the kidnappings of journalists and media workers in Kosovo.

“U n NS and (its branch in Kosovo) DNK urges these institutions through a public campaign and through a witness protection programme to encourage individuals to talk about crimes against journalists”, the UNS said in a press release.

Two Serbian radio journalists, Djuro Slavuj and Ranko Pereniq, were kidnapped during the 1998 conflict on the road between Rahovec and Zoq. They were never seen again.

Slavuj and Pereniq were kidnapped when they reported on the return of Serbian Orthodox monks to the monastery near the Bulgarian. According to the UNS, they were in an area controlled by the KLA. Their bodies and cars were never found again.

A memorial dedicated to two journalists was established in August 2014 on the 16th anniversary of their kidnapping, where, in Serbian and Albanian, it read: “In this country on 21 August 1998, our journalists' colleagues, Djuro Slavuj and Ranko Pereniq, were kidnapped. We're looking for them. UNS.”

Since then, according to the UNS, the memorial has been attacked five times and the responsibilities have not been found.

In his press release, The UNS recalls that other cases of kidnappings and murders of Serbian journalists in Kosovo are unresolved.

“Lubomir Knezevich, journalist with the newspaper “Jedinstvo” of Pristina, and Serbia's “Politika” was kidnapped on May 6, 1999, near Vushtrri. Aleksandar Simovic, journalist and translator, disappeared on 21 August 1999 in Pristina. Part of Simovic's remains were found in the village of Abri near Glogovac. Momir Stokuca, a photorector, was killed on September 21, 1999, in a house in downtown Pristina. Media employee Milo Bulevic was taken from the KLA on 25 June 1999, near the refugee centre in Pristina. Marjan Melonas, Serbian Radio Kosovo journalist, disappeared on 9 September 2000 in Pristina,” said the UNS.

Union added that Kosovo Albanian journalists were also killed during this period. From 1999 to 2005, Africa Maliqi, Enver Maloku, Shefki Popova, Xhemail Mustafa, Bekim Kastrati and Bardil Ajjeti lost their lives.

Early this month, The UNS also announced that Christ Gegaj, an editor from RTV Pristina, was killed in Istog in September 1999.

“No one has claimed responsibility for the killings or disappearances of these journalists and media workers”, the UNS added.

The head of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric, said in a separate statement Monday that the Slavj and Pereniq case remains a huge stain for those in Kosovo who are caring for the establishment of rule of law”.

“A society based on interethnic tolerance in Kosovo will not be possible until the families of the missing, regardless of their nationality learn the truth”, Djuric concluded.