Marking the 22nd anniversary of the tragic event on the Lluzhan/Lužane bridge, on May 1, 2021, a memorial plaque dedicated to the victims was inaugurated at the site, erected by the Municipality of Podujevë/Podujevo. The memorial plaque bears the names of 31 Albanian victims, excluding however 13 Serbian victims who also lost their lives in this tragic event. Mayor of the Municipality of Podujevë/Podujevo, Mr. Shpejtim Bulliqi, through a Facebook post, stated, among other things “.. we have unveiled the memorial plaque with all the names of victims who perished in this tragedy”.
The public should be informed that, according to the data the Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) and the Humanitarian Law Center Kosovo (HLCK) have, on May 1, 1999, at around 13:00 hours, NATO strikes hit the Niš-Ekspres bus, at the time located on the Lluzhan/Lužane bridge, heading towards Prishtinë/Priština. As a consequence, 44 people lost their lives. Among them, 31 Albanian civilians and 13 Serbs, of whom 7 were civilians.
HLCK expresses its deep concern with the way the victims are commemorated, and particularly more so when local and state institutions contribute to the reinforcement of one-sided narratives, that put forward selective versions of history. The denial of victims on ethnic grounds is an insult to victims and their families and only deepens the divisions between communities in Kosovo.
Therefore, HLCK requests the Municipality of Podujevë/Podujevo to ensure that the memorial plaque correctly presents the events of May 1, 1999, commemorating all those who lost their lives in that event. HLCK also calls on all commemorative initiatives honoring victims to include all victims, regardless of their gender, race or ethnicity.
According to the findings of HLC and HLCK, the following people lost their lives in Lluzhan/ Lužane on this day:
Ajeti Shefqet (1945)
Aliu Kujtim (1968)
Bulliqi Behxhet (1946)
Cvetić Milovan (1949)
Filipović Božur (1948)
Grujić Života (1964)
Ilić Miroslav (1961)
Ivanović Vladica (1969)
Jakupi Ajet (1958)
Jakupi Ibrahim (1935)
Janković Miodrag (1950)
Jelić Vukosav (1950)
Jupolli Gani (1932)
Jusufi Mehmet (1960)
Kopalla Arjeta (1985)
Kopalla Fatime (1966)
Kopalla Fetije (1953)
Kopalla Florinda (1981)
Kopalla Mirjeta (1997)
Kopalla Xhavit (1984)
Kostić Bojan (1973)
Malinić Milana (1950)
Musa Drita (1977)
Musa Fexhrije (1970)
Musa Selman (1973)
Petrović Marija (1984)
Petrović Nikola (1982)
Petrović Smiljana (1933)
Podvorica Bexhet (1960)
Potera Milazim (1958)
Potera Nurije (1967)
Qerimi Ibrahim (1940)
Ramadani Besa (1991)
Ramadani Besarta (1993)
Ramadani Besnik (1983)
Ramadani Bislim (1996)
Ramadani Fatime (1963)
Ramadani Gani (1928)
Ramadani Muzafere (1986)
Ramadani Rizah (1959)
Rexhepi Serbeze (1933)
Rrahmani Halime (1964)
Uka Adem (1947)
Vukadinović Zoran (1972)
Reaction is supported by the non-formal coalition of NGO’s and experts who promote the Principles on Dealing with the Past.