A significant crime shook the public and the region at the start of 2025, specifically on January 1st in Cetinje. Aco Martinović brutally killed 12 people, including two boys. This horrific incident has reignited discussions about the issue of blood revenge, prompting questions about the reasons behind it and whether there are less painful ways to cope with the loss of loved ones.

In the shadow of the karst in the city of shorts, Nikola Kaluđerović, known for the most notorious revenge in Yugoslavia, felt no shame, yet failed to uphold social and parental responsibilities amidst his empty soul. His departure, much like his life since 1987, serves as a reminder of the ongoing narrative surrounding blood revenge.

Understanding Blood Vengeance and Its Origins

For centuries, the story of blood vengeance has been passed down, with accusations filled with anger and cursing, spanning from Albania to Italy and back to Prizren, Cetinje, or Belgrade. No logical verdict has emerged, just notches and notes in the context of traditional law, with an “eye for an eye” mentality leading to a cycle of new victims.

Blood revenge is a traditional practice that state legal systems aim to eradicate, yet it persists in defiance of these attempts.

In Yugoslav law post-World War II, blood revenge was never regarded as a mitigating circumstance. Instead, it was consistently classified as “reckless, insidious revenge,” serving as an aggravating factor and clear evidence of premeditated murder.

“Such acts of revenge occur primarily due to a lack of trust in the state and the belief that criminals will evade justice,” explained an ethnologist from the Balkanology Institute, following the publication of Žarko Lausević’s book, “The Year Never Passed and the Day Never”.

“Blood revenge is predominantly prevalent in tribal societies. The community defends its members, viewing personal assaults as threats to the collective, thus justifying the response from the community where the attack originated,” noted Jovanović, emphasizing that human history has long been intertwined with blood vengeance.

“It’s essentially about ‘settling blood debts,’ with the roots of many incidents stemming from the Canon of Leke Dukagjini, a code transmitted orally and later documented by Albanian Catholic priest Stefan Gečov.

This canon primarily pertains to the Albanian tradition of blood revenge, yet its principles resonate across various cultures, even those whose customs are not derived from it.

Blood revenge dictates that a tribe must avenge the death of one of its male members, upholding codes of honor.

“The prevailing custom ensured that the most respected and prominent members within a fraternity or family were targeted, particularly where prestige and reputation were at stake,” stated Budo Simonović, a journalist and author of ‘Word of Life from Life: The Most Notorious Crimes in Montenegro from 1949 to 2005,’ which chronicles such incidents.

“Revenge was never pursued for monetary gain; rather, it was carried out by those closest to the deceased, such as a father, brother, or uncle. In the family’s home, a bloody shirt or another memento was often kept as a continuous reminder of their obligation,” Simonović added.

When Did Blood Revenge Arise?

The longstanding presence of blood vengeance in Montenegro is highlighted by the “Code of Pršitča,” which mandated death for those who committed blood revenge, imposing harsh penalties, including property confiscation. Paradoxically, it permitted killing the murderer without repercussions.

“While blood revenge is categorized as a custom, it exists in a different realm than other traditions,” wrote Sladjana Đurić in her book “Revenge and Punishment.”

“External indicators demonstrate that many customs have vanished due to community modernization, yet blood revenge has managed to endure,” she stated.

Since the first acts of blood vengeance to the present time, only the methods of perpetrating these acts have evolved. Formerly, such incidents arose due to marital infidelity, land disputes, or personal grievances. Over time, these motives have taken on new forms, now often manifesting through means such as firearms.

These customs have spread across regions such as Albania and Montenegro, extending into Kosovo and Metohija, and beyond, where Albanian and Montenegrin tribes reside.

Consequently, numerous families in cities like London, Berlin, or New York prohibit their sons from leaving home, keeping them away from school, as they only feel secure behind the walls of their homes.

In the 20th century, several unreported instances in this part of the Balkans are detailed in Simonović’s writings.

Fraternal Bloodshed Over a Minor Dispute

The day after the devastating earthquake in Skopje on July 27, 1963, a conflict erupted among the Stijepović brothers from the Corners, resulting in violence. Vojo and Bajo faced off against Mirko Stijepović. Bajo inflicted a knife wound to Mirko’s abdomen, prompting Mirko to retaliate, using a gun to kill both brothers along with their mother. Ultimately, he took his own life by jumping from a hospital window.

Two years later, during a well visit, Mirko’s sister Zagorka encountered brutal murder at the hands of Uncle Nikola and her cousin Slavko (the siblings of Vojo and Bajo). The violence escalated when a frightened 10-year-old son of Mirko, who was previously hidden, was also killed by them.

This situation exemplifies how bloodshed often disregards established codes and underscores the importance of leaving matters to law and justice.

The treachery and brutality associated with blood revenge were starkly illustrated in a case that led Josip Broz Tito to order the execution of the perpetrators.

Seeking Vengeance Against a Son’s Mercy

On a fateful day in May 1971, in the Morača Canyon along the Adriatic Highway, a truck driven by Stipe Ćalić collided with a registration label vehicle, resulting in the death of 20-year-old Milenko Pavlović, who was a front passenger.

Milenko’s father, Rajko, arrived at the accident scene, recognizing the incident as not Stipe’s fault, and offered a hand of reconciliation. However, this noble act incited vengeance from Milenko’s mother, who believed that the death of her son warranted a monstrous plan of retribution.

She meticulously plotted revenge, making several trips to Zenica under the guise of visiting Stipe’s family, learning about their lives and their ten-year-old son, Bruno. In a chilling execution of her plan, she hired a local thug, Dragomir Bajcet, to lure and kill Bruno after he returned from school on February 14, 1971. Bajcet murdered the innocent child with seven stab wounds.

Unlikely Reconciliation Occurs

A notable exception to this pattern of violence emerged in Pljevlja when a conflict between peers resulted in one killing the other, leading to imprisonment. Although the mother and brother of the victim sought blood revenge, the perpetrator, Petrovic, took a decisive step towards reconciliation. He went to Zindović’s family, carrying a “blood rifle” around his neck and holding a newborn child in his arms, offering to become a godfather, thereby settling the families’ disputes.

Likewise, among the Albanians living along the border, there was a concerted effort four decades ago to replace the practice of blood revenge with peace agreements, instead of resorting to the Canon of Leke Dukagjini.

This revolutionary accord has only recently been broken a few times and has held firm among the people living in Malaysia.

Blood Revenge in Italy: The Tale of a Brave Woman

On the Italian side of the Adriatic, the mafia operates under different rules. The mafia does not forgive the murder of family members, and the code mandates response at any time and in any location. It’s a perpetual cycle where stories only conclude when there are no survivors, a tradition tracing back to the Renaissance.

Evidence of this relentless cycle is seen in a 2014 case where a woman, overwhelmed by the constant threat of blood revenge, unexpectedly came forward to speak. Despite her unassuming demeanor, she courageously revealed numerous revenge plans discussed at her family dining table. This bold act led to the arrest of 90 mobsters linked to 35 homicides based on her testimony.

As she prepared a simple meal, her actions achieved what laws and peacekeeping efforts had failed to do since the 1970s. A long-standing feud, originating from a horse theft, spiraled out of control, with families insisting on blood revenge to protect their honor.

The initial act of bloodshed occurred in March 1981 when Matea Cirivele’s entire family—his wife and three children—were horrifyingly slain in their home, their bodies desecrated. This tragedy led to retaliatory killings involving the Tarantino family. However, the brave woman’s intervention marked an end to this cycle of violence, illustrating how revenge can engulf not only families but entire communities, creating a region rife with crime.

Blood Revenge: A Global Phenomenon

Blood vengeance extends beyond geographical confines, manifesting in urban streets of Belgrade and cities around the globe—from the confrontations between the Šaranović and Bojović families to public blood feuds among organized crime groups like the Škaljari and Kavači.

This concept of revenge knows no borders, existing in various forms in places like Corsica, Dublin, Sydney, Crete, among Turkish Cypriots, and in Galicia, as individuals act to avenge their losses. While motivations may shift over time, the emotional responses to tragic loss often drive people into cycles of violence. In the throes of grief, some may seek a fleeting sense of relief, mistakenly believing revenge can mend their pain, yet it only perpetuates the cycle of sorrow and death.

(Telegra.rs/Mondo.me)