After former mayor of Zubin Potok, Slavisa Ristic, voluntarily reported himself to EULEX for questioning ten days ago, incumbent Mayor of Zubin Potok, Stevan Vulovic, also reported himself voluntarily three days ago. They both escaped to Serbia after Kosovo Police tried to summon them for interrogation in mid-July upon the order issued by EULEX.
Ristic was released, following questioning, with an obligation to report regularly to police, whereas Vulovic was ordered one-month house arrest. EULEX prosecution has charged Ristic for being the organizer of an attack on the special Kosovo Police unit in vicinity of Zubin Potok in July 2011, when a police officer was killed. Vulovic is charged for being an organizer of a group of citizens who forcibly freed Slobodan Sovrlic from the police station in Zubin Potok.
In case that Ristic and Vulovic had reported to EULEX in July when Kosovo Police tried to summon them, they would probably end up in detention, like Oliver Ivanovic and the rest of arrested Serbs. The corruption affair which had emerged in EULEX has helped them.
“Following this affair and talks we carried out with the heads of that mission, who promised that they will act in line with the laws, Ristic and Vulovic decided to report themselves,” said the head of the Steering Team for the Implementation of the Brussels Agreement, Dragan Jablanovic, and voiced expectation that they will have a fair treatment which will enable them to prove their innocence.
The Democratic Party of Serbia Coordinator for Kosovo and Metohija, Goran Lazovic, claims that EULEX won’t give up on persecution of Serbs. “Another 300 Serbs are still on secret indictments,” Lazovic said and added that it is in the interest of EULEX to produce as more indictments as possible what would enable them to stay in Kosovo as long as possible.
