TIRANA, August 4 – Nearly 27 years after the Reçak massacre, Kosova’s justice system has opened an in absentia trial against more than 20 former Serbian army and police members. They face accusations over the killing of 42 Albanian civilians on January 15, 1999.
The first hearing took place in Prishtina on July 31. None of the defendants attended, as they remain in Serbia. Kosova’s authorities have issued international arrest warrants, but Serbian institutions have so far refused cooperation.
According to Kosova’s Special Prosecutor’s Office, Serbian forces surrounded Reçak in the early hours of January 15, 1999. The indictment says they shelled the village and later entered it, where they killed Albanian civilians who had not taken part in fighting.
The massacre became one of the darkest chapters of the war in Kosova and triggered strong international reactions. The OSCE verification mission documented the killings, while later Hague Tribunal investigations confirmed that the victims were civilians.
Meanwhile, Serbian authorities continue to deny the massacre and claim that the operation targeted members of the Kosova Liberation Army. Several defendants later held public positions, received state honours or appeared in activities where the killings were denied.
Among the most prominent names is Goran Radosavljevic, known as “Guri”, who led a Serbian police special unit during the operation. The list also includes former senior military and police officials.
Kosova and Serbia still lack direct judicial cooperation in criminal cases. The Special Prosecutor’s Office said it sent invitations through international legal assistance mechanisms, but Serbian authorities have not responded.
The Reçak massacre remains one of the most documented war crimes in Kosova and a key event that influenced international diplomacy, the Rambouillet talks and NATO’s 1999 intervention.
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