Oct 11, 2024 – A heated debate erupted in Kosovo’s parliament after opposition MPs accused Mimoza Kusari-Lila, head of the ruling Vetëvendosje Parliamentary Group, of having communications with Milan Radoi?i?, the leader of a criminal group linked to a deadly attack in Banjska. Radoi?i?, who is on the U.S. sanctions blacklist and wanted by Kosovo authorities, has been a controversial figure in the region.
The accusations followed the release of intercepted conversations between Radoi?i? and Kusari-Lila, which were published by local media in Kosovo. Opposition parties condemned Kusari-Lila’s involvement, describing it as a national crisis, given Radoi?i?’s status at the time.
Kusari-Lila fiercely denied the claims, calling them “slander and fabrication.” In response to the allegations, she stated, “What came out yesterday is a complete fabrication. Imagine when photos of Radoi?i?’s house inauguration surface or when gifts to his children from officials come to light. These are all fabricated stories.”
Opposition lawmakers demanded an urgent debate on the issue, but their request was blocked, prompting them to walk out of the session. Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), escalated tensions further, accusing Prime Minister Albin Kurti of acting as a “spy for the Serbian state.”
The debate also reignited long-standing grievances over Kosovo’s Minimum Wage Law, which excluded Kosovo Liberation Army veterans—a move that had previously faced sharp opposition from parliament’s minority parties.
