Mass grave investigated near Raška

The Serbian War Crimes Prosecution believes that it has the location of a mass grave containing the bodies of ethnic Albanians. 250 bodies are believed to have been buried near the southwestern town of Raska. Mass grave investigated near Raska “Thanks to our cooperation with EULEX, according to our information, we have a grave in the Raska area, with about 250 bodies,” Deputy Prosecutor Bruno Vekaric was quoted as saying today in Belgrade. He also reminded that two years the site was searched for, but it was not found. “Now we think we have the right location and we will do everything to have the technical realization as soon as possible, to exhume the bodies and the hand it over to the relatives with regular procedure,” Vekaric said. “Since we have really good cooperation with EULEX, we will certainly check everything that our colleagues gather according to their information,” Vekaric said, and added that the case was not connected to the recent search for a similar site near Medvedja. Vekaric also said that this is yet another proof that Serbia wishes to use its democratic capacities to investigate crimes regardless of who committed them. The Serbian Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor, in cooperation with EULEX, has found a location in southern Serbia believed to be a mass grave containing dead bodies of 250 Kosovo ethnic Albanians, Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic said on Monday. This is the sixth mass grave discovered on the territory of Serbia, and the second in size after the mass grave in Batajnica in which 750 dead bodies were discovered. Vukcevic told a press conference that the potential mass grave was found at Rudnica, near the town of Raska, in the vicinity of the location of Majdan which was searched for dead bodies several years ago without a result. This is our obligation towards the victims and their families. I remind you that our goal is to serve the justice, and to make it possible for the families of the victims to at least bury their beloved ones, the prosecutor pointed out. According to him, Serbia thus shows its determination to investigate every crime regardless of who was the perpetrator or the victim. "At the same time, I believe that this is the best way towards reconciliation in the region. As the country's War Crimes Prosecutor, I expect to get the answer to the question what happened with nearly 500 missing Serbs," Vukcevic underlined. He stated that all locations believed to be mass graves will be investigated, as well as all the related crimes. Vukcevic underscored that the war crimes prosecutor's office obtained the key information on the mass grave from EULEX, with which, as he put it, it has very efficient cooperation. Vukcevic, Vekaric address reporters today EULEX reacts EULEX puts a high priority on war crimes issues especially in locating the remains of individuals still missing from the 1998-99 conflict and its aftermath, said a statement issued in Pristina today by the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX. “We have been working on this particular case for some time. We have provided information and intelligence relating to the possible site of a mass grave in the Raska region. But we are still waiting for confirmation if this site has indeed been located,” the statement said. The EU mission also noted that its two departments – the Office on Missing Persons and Forensics (OMPF) and the EULEX War Crimes Investigation Unit – both liaised with the Serbian authorities over the location of this current site. EULEX believes regional cooperation, “not just with Serbia but with other regional actors”, is vital in trying to solve these issues which affect so many people from all different communities, said the statement. “We cannot give more information at this time until the site has been confirmed to be that of a mass grave – and in order to protect the investigation,” the EULEX press release concluded.

Mass grave investigated near Raška

“Thanks to our cooperation with EULEX, according to our information, we have a grave in the Raška area, with about 250 bodies,” Deputy Prosecutor Bruno Vekarić was quoted as saying today in Belgrade.

He also reminded that two years the site was searched for, but it was not found.

“Now we think we have the right location and we will do everything to have the technical realization as soon as possible, to exhume the bodies and the hand it over to the relatives with regular procedure,” Vekarić said.

“Since we have really good cooperation with EULEX, we will certainly check everything that our colleagues gather according to their information,” Vekarić said, and added that the case was not connected to the recent search for a similar site near Medveđa.

Vekarić also said that this is yet another proof that Serbia wishes to use its democratic capacities to investigate crimes regardless of who committed them.

The Serbian Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor, in cooperation with EULEX, has found a location in southern Serbia believed to be a mass grave containing dead bodies of 250 Kosovo ethnic Albanians, Serbian War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukčević said on Monday.

This is the sixth mass grave discovered on the territory of Serbia, and the second in size after the mass grave in Batajnica in which 750 dead bodies were discovered.

Vukčević told a press conference that the potential mass grave was found at Rudnica, near the town of Raška, in the vicinity of the location of Majdan which was searched for dead bodies several years ago without a result.

This is our obligation towards the victims and their families. I remind you that our goal is to serve the justice, and to make it possible for the families of the victims to at least bury their beloved ones, the prosecutor pointed out.

According to him, Serbia thus shows its determination to investigate every crime regardless of who was the perpetrator or the victim.

"At the same time, I believe that this is the best way towards reconciliation in the region. As the country's War Crimes Prosecutor, I expect to get the answer to the question what happened with nearly 500 missing Serbs," Vukčević underlined.

He stated that all locations believed to be mass graves will be investigated, as well as all the related crimes.

Vukčević underscored that the war crimes prosecutor's office obtained the key information on the mass grave from EULEX, with which, as he put it, it has very efficient cooperation.

EULEX reacts

EULEX puts a high priority on war crimes issues especially in locating the remains of individuals still missing from the 1998-99 conflict and its aftermath, said a statement issued in Priština today by the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX.

“We have been working on this particular case for some time. We have provided information and intelligence relating to the possible site of a mass grave in the Raška region. But we are still waiting for confirmation if this site has indeed been located,” the statement said.

The EU mission also noted that its two departments – the Office on Missing Persons and Forensics (OMPF) and the EULEX War Crimes Investigation Unit – both liaised with the Serbian authorities over the location of this current site.

EULEX believes regional cooperation, “not just with Serbia but with other regional actors”, is vital in trying to solve these issues which affect so many people from all different communities, said the statement.

“We cannot give more information at this time until the site has been confirmed to be that of a mass grave – and in order to protect the investigation,” the EULEX press release concluded.