Attack on Iber-Lepenc, former chief prosecutor: Investigations could last more than two years

On November 29, 2024, in the northern part of Kosovo in the village of Varag in Zubin Potok municipality, there was a powerful explosion in the “Iber Lepenci” channel, causing considerable damage.

The incident, which took place in the country's north, has sparked numerous reactions from Kosovo authorities and international ones.

The attack has been able to jeopardise the water supply and electricity, but despite the damage caused on the channel it was rebuilt within a month.

From this case some suspects have been questioned, until only two of them are in custody: Dragisa Viqef and Jovan Viquevq.

Investigations into the authors and motives of this violent act are still ongoing, until now there is no detail about these investigations under way for the attack at “Iober Lepenc”.

Court of Justice officials have estimated that delaying investigations into the attack in the north will still last, as the case has been grave and needs time for the Prosecutor to reveal in detail the circumstances of what happened.

Former Basic Prosecutor's Chief Prosecutor in Prizren, Silas Hoxha, in a pronomination for “Front Online” has estimated that the case of the attack on “Iober Lepenc” will take time for the investigation.

According to him, this could last up to two and a half years.

This case has been serious and will take time for investigation and depends on the circumstances of the suspected persons, etc. Investigations in such cases last up to two and a half years, depending on how this case will turn out, Hoxha said.

Hoxha shows that except the prosecutor of the case, no one has the oversight of these serious cases.

The prosecutor of the case well knows how the flow of investigations concerning the attack on Iber Lepenc is going, as investigations are being opened. The prosecutor has under surveillance them and every action that is taken under the author's authorisation of the case no one has the supervision of these cases except the prosecutor”, Hoxha said.

The law affairs acquaintance, Ehat Miftaraj, says this issue is in the hands of the Prosecutor, while stressing that the FBI is also helping Kosovo with the issue.

“Sulmi on Iber-Lepenc is a matter of prosecution, where in this case two persons have been arrested so far. As the U.S. ambassador to this issue mentioned is helping Kosovo and the FBI”, Miftaraj says.

Miftaraj estimates the government should not expose information about the attack in the north to maintain the privacy of the investigations.

In this direction, the less the Kosovo government exposes information regarding the case is better to preserve the privacy and integrity of the investigations”, he says.