Kosovo authorities have refused to hand over in Pristina mortal remains of seven members of Sutakovic and Petrovic families kidnapped and killed in Djakovica in 1999. They agree to hand over the remains to the families at administrative crossing with Montenegro, Radio KIM reports.

These are remains of seven persons, five from Sutakovic and two from Petrovic families. In June 1999, Djordje, Darinka and their three underage sons, Aleksandar, Djordje and Radoman were taken away. Their bodies, along with the bodies of Rada and Mica Petrovic were found near Djakovica, in a place called “Bunker.” Forensics concluded they were executed.

Serbian Government Missing Persons Commission Chairman Veljko Odalovic told RTS it was agreed that mortal remains are handed over to the families today, and a memorial service was planned to take place in Gracanica Monastery, followed by a burial of the mortal remains in Andrijevica (Montenegro).

“Pristina obviously has its particular reasons not to do so, not only today but they have obvious intention that bodies from here, contrary to the will of the families, directly handover at the administrative line with Montenegro. They do not want that this crime is spoken about in Pristina, they do not want that this is seen in Pristina (…)”, Odalovic said.

Odalovic added Djakovica is a place where hundreds of Serbs were killed. “We are still looking for around 50 persons listed as missing. This was a zone of responsibility of Ramush Haradinaj and it is obvious that people who participated in this entire process try to stop the process and move it outside of Kosovo and Metohija,” Odalovic said.

Odalovic said they cannot get to terms with ignoring Belgrade’s delegation and demands of the families, underlining the will of the families must be respected, because everything done so far was done in accordance with the will of the families of the missing and killed persons.

“This is the most direct violation of working rules and procedures and everything else we went through during this period, The working group as a mechanism resolved until now more than 3000 missing persons cases, and this is something that if Pristina remains on this position, could bring into question continuation and our further cooperation,” Odalovic said.

Locations where members of Sutakovic and Petrovic families were killed was found by Italian KFOR soldiers in July 1999. Spanish forensics conducted the forensic process. The bodies were identified last year with the participation of Belgrade delegation and mixed working group for missing persons in Kosovo.

Odalovic also said he expects the investigation into kidnappings and murder of seven Serbs would be open, adding there are many facts and many things are known related to these kidnappings.