Indictee Pantic: I saved thousands of Albanians in 1998-99, compromised with 140 civilians so we wouldn't kill each other.

War crimes indictee Momir Pantic declared Thursday before the Constitutional Court in Pristina that the only thing he has done is compromise with 140 Albanian civilians, not to kill each other.

In this case, Momir Pantic in the quality of former chief police station in Istog and Zarko Zaric as former police officer, is accused of war crimes against the civilian population, reports the “Justice Vow make-up”.

Even morally and criminally, I'm still responsible for what I saved thousands of Albanian people in 1998-99. The only thing I've done, compromise with 140 Albanians. I've agreed not to kill one another”, Pantic said.

He added that during the war, he has saved 250 Albanians and another 300 have been displaced in Llapojan.

“During wartime I had disagreements with the mayor of the municipality and part of the army because 250 Albanians have been rescued and taken off the road by going to Albania. And more than 300 Albanians of Catholic faith have been displaced from Djurdacoci to Zlatko”, he said.

The accused also stressed that in 2006 he has witnessed at The Hague International Tribunal, for which he has signed a decision he is not allowed to declare anywhere.

I've issued the statement before the Hague Tribunal investigators on the event. I am relieved of those of every responsibility and have been told that in certain situations this statement that I have given them I cannot repeat anywhere. If the prosecutor insists, then I request that my confirmation be issued from The Hague Tribunal that allows me to speak on this matter”, he added.

This session also gave entry words from the parties to the procedure, where the special prosecutor, Ilir Morina, said that justice will be sought in this trial for the residents of the Istog municipality.

He said the quality defendants of police leaders have participated in the killing of 250 civilians and, like thousands more, were expelled from their homes.

“During this trial will testify that, as a result of the actions of the defendants in the municipality of Istog, over 250 civilians, women and children were killed, destroyed and destroyed 5,000 houses, thousands of civilians were forcibly expelled under threat of death. The two defendants staying here are accused of leadership and active participation in a terror campaign against the Albanian population”, Morina said.

Meanwhile, defendant Momir Pantic's defender, lawyer Nebojsa Vlajjic, said the prosecutor would fail to prove his defense's guilt.

Justice is not giving false hope to those who are injured that their wounds or pains will be healed. Justice is not following people who are not responsible. I know Pantic feels with others in this procedure. The prosecutor would have to prove that he carries responsibility for this, and I'm sure it won't succeed”, Vlasic said.

He also said that Pantyq has during wartime assisted hundreds of Albanians who have asked him for help, and that will be witnessed even during this trial.

While indictee Zarko Zaric's defender, lawyer Dejan Vasic, said his defender ten years ago has returned to his village and lived among witnesses nominated by the Prosecutor.

He's been living among these citizens of witnesses who will be heard here and give their testimony. He lived among them with great respect and respect for them. And this thing the prosecutor has said that with witness hearing it will prove what Zariqi did in wartime, I think the opposite will prove to be”, Vasic said.

According to the indictment, filed on September 1st 2024 by the Special Prosecutor of the Republic of Kosovo (PSRK), former chief of police station in Istog, Momir Pantic and former police officer Zarko Zaric, are charged that, at co-ordination, the crime work has been carried out “the crime crime crime of fighting against the civilian population”.

According to the indictment, which has secured the “Justice Trust”, on May 19, 1999, in the village of Dubrava, exactly in the Dubrava prison after the NATO bombings, where, in turn, three Albanian prisoners had been killed, Pantiq as head of the police station along with Serb police forces had gone to take control of the situation and after the shelling of the guards had even entered the detention rooms and exercised systematic violence, beating them in a cruel and inhuman way, only to be an Albanian.

The indictment reportedly has continued on 21 May, where 18 Albanian prisoners and dozens of others injured remained dead. While the following morning, the guards, prisoners, armed Serbs along with police forces and Special Units who were under the command of the Police Station in Istog, have initially assembled Albanian prisoners in the sports field and later, reportedly in the indictment, began firing guns of various kinds, while bombs were fired from behind the prison wall in the direction of Albanian prisoners.

Always, referring to the indictment, Serbian police forces at the Police Station in Istog, under Pantic's leadership, also kidnapped an Albanian civilian under the nickname “A1”, which they sexually violated. Besides the victim “A1”, the indictment describes the violation of another victim- “B1”. The two defendants are also charged with killing several families in the Istog municipality. /Betimy for Justice/Periscopi/