The European Union said on Monday that Serbia’s recent arrest of a Kosovo veteran of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) constitutes “another breach” of its obligations under the 2015 Brussels Agreement on dialogue and justice.
“Under this agreement, Serbia has committed not to initiate criminal investigations or prosecutions for alleged crimes committed in Kosovo, unless specifically requested by Kosovo authorities. Jurisdiction over alleged war crimes and other serious offenses rests with Kosovo institutions. We call on Serbia to respect its commitments,” a European Commission spokesperson told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
On February 5, Serbian authorities detained Mitehat Llozhanin near the Croatian border. Serbian officials allege he participated in crimes against civilians in Belgrade.
Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora has called for international engagement regarding the case. Serbian authorities claim Llozhanin trained with the KLA in the Dukagjin Operational Zone in 1998 and 1999 and later took part in “terrorist attacks” against Serbian police and Yugoslav forces. The statement also alleges that as part of a unit commanded by Ramush Haradinaj, he was involved in the abduction and killing of police officers.
Veterans’ organizations in Kosovo have disputed the claims. The Kosovo War Veterans Association told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that Llozhanin participated in some training in Albania but was not active on the front lines in Kosovo.
Gazmend Syla, vice president of the association, said Llozhanin was carrying his veteran ID card at the time of the Serbian authorities’ search. Kosovo citizens have been repeatedly arrested by Serbia on alleged war crimes dating back to 1998-1999; multiple arrests were reported in 2025 alone.
During the 1990s, Serbia labeled the KLA as a terrorist organization, while Kosovo regards it as a liberation force that defended the local population against repression by Yugoslav armed forces.
The case adds to ongoing tensions in the region over historical interpretation, justice, and cross-border prosecutions linked to the Kosovo conflict.