The European Union is urging Serbia and Kosovo to finally resolve the fate of more than 1,600 people who disappeared during the 1998–99 Kosovo war. This week, a new EU-backed commission meets in Brussels, aiming to deliver long-awaited answers to grieving families.
The European Union is pressing Serbia and Kosovo to uncover the fate of over 1,600 people who went missing during the 1998–99 Kosovo war. This week, the first meeting of a joint commission on missing persons will take place in Brussels, with hopes of finally addressing this painful issue.
The commission was established in 2023 as part of a deal between Serbia and Kosovo to improve relations. However, little progress has been made so far. EU envoy Miroslav Lajcak said this week’s talks are a “key opportunity” to move forward.
Mass graves and no accountability
Since 2001, five mass graves have been discovered in Serbia, including one in 2020 near Raška. These graves contained the remains of ethnic Albanians, transported and buried in secret during the war.
Despite evidence, no Serbian officials have been prosecuted in local courts for their involvement. The Hague Tribunal sentenced a former Serbian security official, Vlastimir Dordevic, to 18 years for crimes, including hiding the bodies.
Promises but slow progress
Last December, Kosovo’s chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi said Serbia promised not to block the commission’s work. “We’ve been assured there will be no more delays,” he said. Serbia’s negotiator, Petar Petkovi?, called the commission’s creation the “final step” but did not commit to specific actions.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which leads the working group, has warned that progress is slow. Families of the missing—most of them ethnic Albanians—continue to wait for answers more than two decades later.
The EU is under pressure to deliver results. Failure to make progress could damage its role as a mediator in the Balkans. As the talks begin, many hope this marks the start of real action.
