Pristina, Kosovo – A Kosovo Serb, Aleksandar Vlajic, has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Pristina Basic Court for espionage, acting as an agent for Serbia’s Security Information Agency (BIA). Vlajic also received a 1,000-euro fine for illegal weapons possession. This conviction follows a guilty plea agreement reached on May 22.

Serb National Sentenced For Espionage

Aleksandar Vlajic was found guilty of intentionally collecting, recording, and transmitting data and materials that violated Kosovo’s constitutional order and security. He communicated this information to a senior BIA official through phone calls and physical meetings. Vlajic secretly filmed and recorded movements of the Kosovo Police and international community in the Serb-majority north of Kosovo.

Key Takeaways

  • Vlajic was sentenced to five years for espionage and fined 1,000 euros for illegal weapons possession.
  • He pleaded guilty to charges of collaborating with Serbia’s BIA.
  • Vlajic collected sensitive information on Kosovo’s security and constitutional order.
  • He also sought information from local Serb staff within international organizations.

Details of the Indictment

The indictment against Vlajic outlined several key activities:

  1. Information Gathering: He collected information about Kosovo Serbs suspected of collaborating with Kosovo security structures.
  2. Identity Disclosure: Vlajic disclosed the identity of a Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA) official, whom he learned was an active member of the Kosovo Police.
  3. Informant Network: He established a network of informants within international organizations in Kosovo, specifically targeting local Serb staff. From these informants, he sought information on political and security issues, which he then relayed to the BIA official.
  4. Surveillance: Vlajic secretly filmed and recorded the movements of Kosovo Police and the international community in northern Kosovo.
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Additional Charges and Context

Vlajic is also implicated in a separate case concerning an alleged attack on election commission offices in North Mitrovica in 2022. This case involves other individuals, including Milun Millenkovic, and former Kosovo police officers Dejan Pantic and Miomir Vakic. Pantic’s arrest previously triggered nearly three weeks of road blockades by Kosovo Serbs.

Vlajic has been in detention since June 26, 2024, and this time will be credited towards his sentence. The conviction highlights Kosovo’s ongoing efforts to address perceived threats to its national security and constitutional order, particularly in relation to alleged foreign intelligence activities.

Sources

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