Momir Stojanović (; born 12 October 1958) is a Serbian politician and retired general. He was the head of military intelligence for Serbia and Montenegro in 2003–04 and a member of the Serbian parliament from 2012 to 2016. Stojanović has at different times been a member of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS), the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), and the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). He is now the leader of the Serb National Council of Kosovo and Metohija (SNV).
At different times in his career, Stojanović has been accused of war crimes in the 1998–99 Kosovo War. He has never faced trial in these matters and has consistently rejected the accusations as false.
Early life Stojanović was born to a Kosovo Serb family in Đakovica, in what was then the Autonomous Region of Kosovo and Metohija in the People's Republic of Serbia, Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia."Kosovo requests interpol red notice for Serbian Progressive Party member," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 26 February 2015 (Source: Text of report by Serbian newspaper Politika website on 26 February). He entered the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) in the time of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and served in the army's anti-aircraft missile defence units."Momir Stojanović", Južne vesti, 20 August 2013, accessed 11 January 2025.Stojanović addressed his pre-1999 military career in general terms while testifying at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 2010. See Monday, 22 February 2010, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, accessed 10 January 2025.
Military career Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992–2003) The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, comprising the republics of Serbia and Montenegro, was constituted in April 1992. Its military was known simply as the Yugoslav Army (VJ). Stojanović was appointed as deputy head of security for the VJ's Priština Corps in 1993 and was promoted to head of security in 1996, serving in this capacity until 1999."Kosovo requests interpol red notice for Serbian Progressive Party member," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 26 February 2015 (Source: Text of report by Serbian newspaper Politika website on 26 February).
In May 1999, during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, Stojanović was placed on a European Union (EU) travel ban.Eve-Ann Prentice and Michael Evans, "These men must reveal the truth," The Times, 19 June 1999, 17. Serbia lost effective control over most of Kosovo in the aftermath of the 1998–99 conflict, and virtually all of Đakovica's formerly sizeable Serb population fled the province."Displaced Serbs marked the Feast of the Assumption in Djakovica: Our hearts and souls remained here", Kosovo Online, 28 August 2023, accessed 25 March 2024.
Reflecting on his experiences from the Kosovo War in a March 2010 interview, Stojanović described the crimes committed by Serb forces as "shameful for the Serb people" but also as isolated and not planned or systemic. By contrast, he described the actions of Germany, the United States of America, and other NATO countries as "a planned and systemic crime, a crime against peace," with the intent of using the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) to separate Kosovo from Serbia.Razgovarao Đorđe Barović, "MOMIR STOJANOVIĆ Sude nam da istorija ne bi osudila njih", Pečat, 26 March 2010, accessed 10 January 2025.
He was appointed as head of the operational department of the Priština Corps Command on 15 May 2002."Serbia-Montenegro army officer denies breaching Geneva Convention in Kosovo," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 31 March 2003 (Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in Serbian 1518 gmt 31 Mar 03).
Serbia and Montenegro (2003–06) The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was reconstituted as the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in February 2003.
On 25 March 2003, the Serbia and Montenegro Supreme Defence Council appointed Stojanović as head of the country's Military Security Service (VSB), in which capacity he was responsible to the general staff of the Armed Forces of Serbia and Montenegro. The appointment came into effect on 7 April."Serbia and Montenegro appoints head of military security," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 25 March 2003 (Source: Radio B92, Belgrade, in Serbian 1905 gmt 25 Mar 03). Following his appointment, human rights activist Nataša Kandić issued a public letter accusing Stojanović of breaching the Geneva Convention and domestic laws on the protection of citizens during the Kosovo War. He rejected the accusations, saying, "I have never in my military career breached the Geneva Convention or the domestic norms on the protection of civilians in times of armed conflict." He added that Kandić's letter erroneously identified him as head of operations for the Priština Corps during the Kosovo War and accused him of issuing orders for which he was not and could not have been responsible."Serbia-Montenegro army officer denies breaching Geneva Convention in Kosovo," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 31 March 2003 (Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in Serbian 1518 gmt 31 Mar 03).
Stojanović announced in December 2003 that Serbia and Montenegro's VSB would soon be replaced by a new entity called the Military Security Agency (VBA), falling under the authority of the civilian ministry of defence. The new organization was established on 1 January 2004 with Stojanović in the role of director; he indicated that the agency's main goal would be the fight against domestic and international terrorism and organized crime."Military intelligence agency of Serbia-Montenegro set up," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 26 December 2003 (Source: TV Crna Gora, Podgorica, in Serbian 1830 gmt 26 Dec 03)."New Serbia-Montenegro security agency to fight terrorism, organized crime," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 5 January 2004 (Source: Text of report by the Yugoslav state news agency Tanjug). The agency was criticized by representatives of the Montenegrin government, including retired general Blagoje Grahovac, who raised objections concerning the manner of its creation."Montenegro reportedly unhappy about new SCG military intelligence agency," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 28 December 2003 (Source: Text of report by Belgrade-based Radio B92 on 28 December).
Stojanović made a number of controversial statements in early 2004. He claimed that representatives of al-Qaeda were active in Kosovo, northern Albania, and the predominantly Albanian areas of western Macedonia, and that other Islamist extremist organizations of a Wahhabist orientation had become active in Serbia and Montenegro, including in the Sandžak and the northern part of Montenegro. He said that the strategic goal of these extremist groups was to create an independent Muslim state in the Balkans, adding that agents from Serbia and Montenegro had infiltrated the "leadership of the separatist movement" and the "leadership of the terrorist organizations" in Kosovo."Kosovo Albanian leadership reportedly infiltrated by Serbia-Montenegro spies," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring Newsfile, 1 February 2004 (Source: SNRA news agency, Bijeljina in Bosnia/Croatian/Serbian 1239 gmt 1 Feb 04. He later said that the VBA was monitoring these groups with regard to their involvement in paramilitary formation and the illegal arms trade and their actions toward the Kosovo Serb community, and that the VBA's oversight of these groups was not unusual in the broader framework of intelligence gathering."Spy chief reiterates military security infiltrated Kosovo 'terrorist' groups," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 3 February 2004 (Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in English 1742 gmt 2 Feb 04).
Stojanović's claims were widely criticized. The Albanian and Macedonian governments rejected the suggestion that al-Qaeda was active in their territories, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) denied that al-Qaeda had a presence in Kosovo. (NATO officials also dismissed Stojanović's claims about the infiltration of Kosovo paramilitary groups.)Jovana Gec, "Chief of military intelligence claims al-Qaida active in Kosovo," Associated Press Newswires, 1 February 2004."Albania denies groups like Al-Qaida operate from its soil," Dow Jones International News, 2 February 2004."UNMIK, Kfor not aware of Serbia-Montenegro intelligence network in Kosovo," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 6 February 2004 (Source: Excerpt from report by Augustin Palokaj and Blerim Xhemajli: "Kfor: There is nothing when much is said", published by Kosovo Albanian newspaper Koha Ditore on 3 February). The Sandžak Democratic Party (SDP) called on Stojanović to substantiate his claims about extremist groups in their area,Serbia: Sandzak party asks army spy chief to back up 'disturbing accusations'," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 3 February 2004 (Source: Tanjug news agency, Belgrade, in English 1320 gmt 3 Feb 04). For a different perspective, see "Paper looks into Wahhabi movement in Serbia," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 10 February 2004 (Source: Glas javnosti, Belgrade, in Serbian, 3 Feb 04). and party leader Rasim Ljajić accused Stojanović of "sull[ying] the reputation of an entire region" by not providing specific information about the alleged terrorist groups."US conditioned financial aid on Mladic extradition - Serbia-Montenegro minister," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 11 February 2004 (Source: Text of report by Serbian news agency Beta). Perhaps the most damaging criticism, however, came from Montenegrin officials. Blagoje Grahovac described Stojanović's claims about Islamist extremist infiltration as "a scandal of international proportions," and Montenegrin assembly president Ranko Krivokapić said that he would seek Stojanović's dismissal from office."Montenegrin official say claim about Muslim extremists 'propaganda'," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 3 February 2004 (Source: Except from report by Montenegrin TV on 3 February)."Montenegrin Speaker to request dismissal of state union army spy chief," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 5 February 2004 (Source: Excerpt from report by Montenegrin radio on 5 February). See also "Montenegrin government waging campaign against army chief - analyst," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 15 February 2004 (Source: Dan, Podgorica, in Serbian 15 Feb 04 p. 8).
Stojanović was, in fact, dismissed from office on 27 May 2004. Serbia and Montenegro president Svetozar Marović indicated that he had been fired for making unauthorized statements about agents in Kosovo."Colonel fired for Kosovo 'spies' claim," The Independent, 28 May 2004, p. 24. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of major-general and reassigned as the main commander of the army's Niš Corps."Official criticize Montenegrin leader's support for Niš Corps commander," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 2 June 2004."Momir Stojanović", Južne vesti, 11 Nay 2017, accessed 17 December 2021. He was mandated to retire from the military in 2005. Eight years later, he won a lawsuit against the state for illegal retirement.N. Latković, "Generalu u penziji i poslaniku SNS država plaća 30.000 evra", Blic, 7 August 2013, accessed 17 December 2021.
The federal state of Serbia and Montenegro ceased to exist in June 2006, when Montenegro declared independence.
Politician Socialist Party of Serbia