Over 170 people are wanted by the Kosovo Police. In connection with the recent murder cases in Gjilan and Hajval, there has been speculation that the suspects may have fled to Serbia. The state that shelters the perpetrators of the terrorist attack in Banjska, according to a former police colonel, provides protection to criminals and suspects of criminal acts in Kosovo. Retired colonel Refki Morina says that there is also a risk that Serbia will use those it shelters for its own purposes against Kosovo.
It has been three weeks since the Kosovo Police have been searching for Mefail, Edonis and Engjull Shkodra, under suspicion of the triple murder in Gjilan, as well as Xhemail Nuhiu for the murder that occurred in Hajvali.
The location of these suspects is believed to be Serbia.
Police data shows that they are among the 15 people who are publicly wanted for murder, if attempted murders and incitement to murder are also counted.
While most of the people wanted, according to the official Police website, are for theft – for more serious crimes, such as murder, terrorist acts and war crimes – some of the suspects and convicts are believed to have found refuge in Serbia.
Former colonel Refki Morina says that for such escapes, roads or paths are used to illegally cross the border with Serbia and smugglers.
He emphasizes that the length of the border is great.
“In a way, it is also the width or length of the border between Kosovo and Serbia, which is quite a long length and it is difficult to fully control the terrain within the border points and they use this opportunity… Countries that border Serbia often, for example like Gjilan with Dheun i Bardhë and here towards Podujevo, often know the territory better than how to cross at the border points, and even outside the border points illegally. That is, they know the terrain better and they use this opportunity and they also use people who traffic people who they bring money to Serbia,” said Morina.
The retired police colonel, who previously worked in the Directorate for Migration and Foreigners in the Kosovo Police, says that Serbia does not return Kosovo citizens who enter its territory illegally.
Morina also emphasizes that there is a risk that the fugitives will be used by Serbia’s security structures.
“Knowing what the Serbian government is like, the various people who cross into Serbia due to serious criminal offenses they commit in Kosovo, they try to use these people there, for certain purposes or by the BIA or other security institutions for certain purposes, to obtain information about our institutions, about security, about the judiciary, about overall developments in Kosovo and so on,” said Morina.
In addition to several suspects and convicts of murder, Serbia is believed to be harboring suspects for the terrorist attacks in Banjska and Varaga, Zubin Potok, as well as suspects for war crimes.
Based on the online registry that the Kosovo Police considers an active list, it appears that 174 people are wanted.
A large portion, or over 60, are for various types of thefts, up to armed robbery.
There are also people wanted for crimes related to the sale and purchase of narcotics, smuggling, arson, bodily harm, rape, sexual harassment, identity theft and misuse of bank cards, as well as fraud.