In the Basic Court in Pristina, the trial has started against Jovan and Dragisha Viqentijevic, accused of the attack on the Ibër-Lepenci canal in November 2023. Both accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them, a position they have maintained even in the initial hearing. The Special Prosecutor’s Office of Kosovo stated that the evidence collected during the investigations proves the involvement of the accused in the criminal offenses for which they are charged. Prosecutor Bekim Kodraliu said that the investigations have yielded data that, according to him, show that the Government of Serbia had a role in the preparation of the attack.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, weapons, ammunition, military equipment, means of communication and other material evidence were seized during the investigations. Also, forensic analyses, including DNA expertise and other examinations, according to the prosecution, link the defendants to the event and the place where the attack took place. On the other hand, the defense lawyers have opposed the claims of the Prosecution, demanding that the process be conducted objectively. They have claimed that the indictment does not clearly define the specific actions that their clients allegedly committed.
Jovan and Dragisha Viqentijevic, together with Igor Dimovic, are accused of the criminal offenses of endangering the constitutional order, committing a terrorist offense and carrying weapons without a permit. While Jovan Viqentijevic is also accused of espionage. The attack on the Ibër-Lepenci canal took place in November 2023 in the village of Varagë in Zubin-Potoku, causing damage to one of the important infrastructures for the supply of water and energy in Kosovo.
