How did Milan Radoichi's name lead to physical clashes in the Parliament?

The name of Milan Radojici, deputy chairman of the Serbian List charged with various crimes, in search of justice institutions and sanctioned by the United States and the United Kingdom, led to physical clashes between the deputies of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the ministers of the Government of Kosovo.

The clash was preceded by a fierce debate over a audio-incision, in which Vetevendosje Parliamentary Group head Mimoza Kusari Ela was heard to admit having communicated with Milan Radoiciqi last year.

PDK MP Eliza Hoxha accused the government of being caught up by Milan Radovici.

“What should happen more to understand that you are captured by the criminal who is on the blacklist of America, who has warrants from the prosecution?”, Hoxha said.

While, Arben Gashi, the head of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said Kusari Ella's communication with Radojciqi is done with the prime minister's permission.

She [the conversation with Radociqi] has done it with his permission, but if she has been assigned to do the numbers, she has been assigned to make communication”, Gashi said.

Shortly before the clash, Prime Minister Albin Kurti accused past governments, who, according to him, have co-operated with Radociqi.

“When past governments were, this chief criminal was in Mitrovica, has been in Pristina. Our contribution is that it is at the Kopaonic Hotel, on the other side of the border, on the side of Serbia”, Kurti said.

As it became known in audio recordings published by the National portal, at the time Kusari Lila spoke with Radojchiqiqi, he was being sought by Kosovo Police, sanctioned by the US and United Kingdom.

Milan Ranovici is deputy head of the largest political subject of Serbs in Kosovo, the Serbian List.

The opposition had a sharp reaction to the government after confirming Kusari Ela that she had communicated with Radociqi to seek Serbian List support for several legal initiatives.

Vetevendosje, not only now but even before it came to power, had singled out Radojici as a criminal working against the state of Kosovo.

Why is Radiochiqi seen as important for co-operation with Serbs?

Violet Hajoli from the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) says political parties in Kosovo have seen Radojici as an important person, having believed that through it they can manage to communicate with Serbs in the northern part.

The latest “hearings, where representatives of current power show the desperate efforts of almost all political parties in Kosovo who have tried to communicate with this person, as a way to reach the Serb community, and as a way to solve crises in the north”, Hajoli says.

Hajoll says that even the preliminary governments have seen Milan Radoichi “as the only person who has power and controls” northern municipalities. But communication with him would not have to happen because he was wanted by the police.

“Passi [Radoicicic] has been declared in search of justice and is sanctioned by the US, parties should not be released in communications with this person, nor in an attempt to negotiate or achieve any law vote or other case”, Hajoli said.

According to Hajoll, since Radoici is also deputy chairman of the Serbian List, Albanian parties have communicated with him when they need the votes of deputies of this political subject.

When did Radicitch get the doors of the government?

Being deputy head of the Serbian List, Milan Radojic, in the past was received in the office of Kosovo's prime minister.

At the time Ramush Haradinaj was prime minister, he hosted Radociciqi and other representatives of the Serbian List at the office.

In the communiqué issued by the prime minister's office in 2018 after the meeting, the general “situation in Kosovo, with particular emphasis on security, economic and social issues”, said.

But this was not Haradinaj's only meeting with Radociqi, as pictures of an earlier meeting had been published.

How did Radoichi become a famous person?

Former Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj in 2017 publicly cited Radoichi as a powerful man in Serb-run northern municipalities.

While he was talking in an interview for the Slobodno Srpskiı [in Albanian: Serbianly], Haradinaj described Radociqi as an accomplice.

I work with people in the northern part, for example Milan Radoichi. He has his role [in the north]”, Haradinaj had said.

In Radojciki's name, the journalist, who is Kosovo Serb, was interviewing Haradinaj, who he had asked who he was.

Haradinaj's response was “ [he is] someone from the north who asks about everything and I talk to him”.

Former South Mitrovica municipality leader Agim Bahtiri has also indicated that, in one case, in 2017, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj had invited him to go to a meeting at Milan Radojic's home in the northern part.

Bahtiri had said Haradinaj had asked him at Radojciki's house to be given the Serb List the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture. At that world Bahtiri has been part of the party led by Behxhet Pacolli, the New Kosovo Alliance, while in the ruling coalition they have been in. The PDK, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), and the Kosovo Initiative.

In 2017, Radoici had also had a meeting with Behxhet Pacolli, party chairman New Kosovo Alliance (AKR). Media in Kosovo and Serbia had published a photo where Pacolli was seen in the company of Serbian List Chairman Goran Rakic and Radojici. The meeting had taken place on a luxury yacht in Montenegro.

Pacolli had said that he had never met Radojchi and had realized much later who he was. But, the meeting had taken place at the time when parliamentary elections had just been held in Kosovo, and parties were seeking partners for forming the Government.