Godfathers from the north of Kosovo

photo: oliver bunić / ras

One last week's news from the United States of America did not make the headlines of national TV stations and most daily newspapers. It reads: the brothers Žarko and Zvonko Veselinović, Milan Radoičić and several other Serbs from the north of Kosovo have been designated as members of corrupt networks linked to international organized crime and have been placed under Washington sanctions. Companies owned by the Veselinović brothers are also listed. Sanctions are in force for them as well, which will make doing business with foreign countries much more difficult.

By the way, the names of "Serb leaders from the north of Kosovo", as the authorities call Veselinović, Radoičić and others, have long been mentioned in letters to the White House sent by groups of American congressmen. It started with the two of them, and it remains to be seen who else is on that "Serbian list". We are talking about people who present themselves as successful business people in Serbia, and the world sees them as money launderers or participants in the drug trade.

Although the government keeps this topic "under the radar", it is noticeable that great nervousness prevailed, from Aleksandar Vučić and Ana Brnabić downwards in the system of the Serbian Progressive Party. The public may find out who is on the American list as early as this week. Namely, Paul Ahern, a representative of the US Ministry of Finance, which imposed sanctions on the group of Žarko and Zvonko Veselinović, Radoičić and others, arrived in Belgrade for a visit. Ahern was already in Belgrade in February 2020. Then he discussed the situation with the prevention of money laundering and the fight against corruption and crime with representatives of the Government. Now it comes under a different administration and with stronger "arguments".

HELICOPTER HUNTERS

The Veselinović brothers are among the most powerful and richest people in Serbia. From petty merchants and smugglers - as they were described by the authorities that arrested them in 2011 - they grew into influential businessmen: they turn over millions, have a lot of machinery, mines, buildings and hotels, and some sources claim that they have branched out into business in Novi Sad in particular. and the rest of Vojvodina. Their central construction company Inkop works on almost every large infrastructure construction site in Serbia.

In their free time, they enjoy hunting: from a helicopter on Golia or on safaris in Africa. Their yacht "Sara" is located in an exclusive marina in Montenegro.

And all this happens while they were under investigation for their participation in criminal activities in Kosovo. We are talking about unproven suspicions about their connection with the distribution of narcotics, and the hijacking of trucks and quarries at the beginning of their entrepreneurial career.

In one photo, Zvonko Veselinović leaves custody accompanied by his godfather Milan Radoičić. But there are also other pictures: him in conversation with Ramusha Haradinaj, who is accused of war crimes in Kosovo; he with Andrej Vučić at the Inviktus agency; he with Nikola Petrović, former director of EMS and godfather of Aleksandar Vučić...

In the explanation of the American decision to blacklist Veselinović, his brother and godfather Radoičić, it is stated that this group has great political and business connections.
This is not news to anyone. Investigative journalists have been reporting in detail about their influence and direct connection with the top of the Serbian state for years.

Even in the opposition, Vučić defended Veselinović. Then he declared that he would first arrest Branko Miljković, the owner of the company "Ratko Mitrović", and that he would not allow the punishment of the one who defends the Serbs in the north. Of course, he meant Veselinović. This approach also brought results: Miljković's construction company almost disappeared, and the empire of the Veselinović brothers shone in all major infrastructure and construction works in Serbia.

photo: strahinja aćimović / tanjug

LONG BLACK LIST

Regarding the violence in the north of Kosovo, for which the Veselinović brothers, their godfather Radoičić and others are suspected, the document of the American administration mentions involvement in murders, especially in the murder of Oliver Ivanović in January 2018. For now, the prosecution in Pristina has given up on such accusations because there is no enough credible evidence.

What has been happening in the very north of Kosovo for the past ten years is that Veselinović and Radoičić, with the help of others and in agreement with their Albanian partners, have established their informal government there. This process was formalized by the fact that the godfather Milan Radoičić became the leader of the Serbian List, the political wing of this group and the SNS branch in Kosovo.

Unlike all other topics, Vučić has not yet had time to make a statement about the circumstances related to Veselinović, Radoičić and the others. So far, only Ana Brnabić has jumped into the ring to deny the claims of the editor of the international organization of investigative journalists OCCRP Drew Sullivan, who said that Andrej Vučić is also on the list for sanctions. Was her performance part of a planned and feigned anger, or is there something lurking behind the hill that will truly annoy her? The American blacklist is long and difficult to get off.