This article investigates the murder of Pren Praka, a Catholic Albanian from Novo Sele, who was killed by unknown assailants in 1920 in the region of Janoške (Janosh) in Gjakova.

Cited from the book “Југословенска држава и Албанци Volym” by Ђорђе Борозан and published 1999:

“On April 11, 1920, Pren Praka, a Catholic from Novo Selo, in the municipality of Janoške, was killed and Mark Boni from the same place was wounded near him. The murder was committed on the road by unknown assailants who could not be found during the police investigation.”

A political murder?

On April 11, 1920, Pren Praka, a Catholic Albanian from Novo Selo, in the region of Janosh, was killed under suspicious circumstances. He was shot dead on a rural road, while another man, Mark Boni, also from Novo Selo, was wounded in the same incident. Despite a police investigation by Yugoslav authorities, no suspects were identified.

The murder occurred during a period of heightened political tension in the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia). The Albanian-Yugoslav border was still undefined and volatile, with armed resistance from Albanian nationalist groups, such as the Kachaks.

In response, Yugoslav forces and intelligence services conducted harsh countermeasures to suppress Albanian political organization, particularly in areas with strong national identity or religious minorities, such as the Catholic Albanians in western Kosovo.

Documents from the same period indicate that Yugoslav authorities sought to exert control over Albanian populations through displays of force, surveillance, and covert operations. Albanians were described in official reports as needing to “feel the strong hand,” implying a strategy of intimidation. In nearby villages, Yugoslav border troops clashed with armed Albanians, and Albanian leaders such as Yusuf Dželim were organizing local resistance.

Given this context, and the fact that no suspects were found—despite state control of the region—it is highly likely that Pren Praka’s killing was a political assassination carried out by Yugoslav agents or affiliated actors, rather than a private feud or banditry. His Catholic identity, rare among Albanians in the region, may have made him a visible symbol or community leader, further increasing his vulnerability.

Reference

Југословенска држава и Албанци Volume 2. Ђорђе Борозан. 1999