Halil Thaçi claims he was threatened with death after transferring a director in the Municipality of Obiliq

The mayor of the Municipality of Obiliq, Halil Thaçi, has stated that the former director of the Inspection Department, Hajrullah Preniqi, threatened him with death. According to Thaçi, the threat came after the decision to transfer Preniqi from heading the Inspection Department to heading the Emergency Department.

Thaçi told KosovaPress that he reported the case to the police. However, he claims that the proceedings have been delayed because Preniqi has close ties to the prosecutor handling the case.

Thaçi: I did not harm him in terms of either salary or position

“The reason is that he is claiming he should return as head of the Inspection Department, and for this reason, the management of human resources falls under my authority as mayor. The transfer I made from head of the Inspection Department was to the position of head of the Emergency Department. So, I did not harm him in any way, neither in terms of salary nor position; I only changed his directorship. And this is the reason why he is making these claims and, through people, he has sent people to me and told me that on Monday, they would not let me live to come to the municipality,” Thaçi said.

The mayor of Obiliq repeated that he had immediately reported the incident to the police, but according to him, measures against Preniqi were not taken quickly enough because of the influence he allegedly has over the prosecutor handling the case.

Thaçi: The case was immediately reported to the police

“I immediately reported the case to the police, and the Serious Crimes Unit took it up. The Serious Crimes Unit is handling this matter, but the prosecutor in the case, Paulin Pashku, decided that since there had been no action, he could not be arrested either. That was the prosecutor’s reason, even though we know very well that people are being arrested for a comment on Facebook, but he is not being arrested even though he sends people and I also have witnesses that he threatened me,” he said.

Thaçi described Preniqi as a repeat offender and said he would not give up pursuing the case through official channels.

Thaçi: Hajrullah Preniqi is a repeat offender in several criminal acts

“This is Hajrullah Preniqi; he is one of the repeat offenders involved in several criminal acts. Two, three or four years ago, there was a wounding incident involving him. However, this gentleman has a nephew who is a judge, and naturally the prosecutor also comes under his influence. So, this is all an organized crime scheme. That gentleman is known in the Municipality of Obiliq as a problematic person, so I do not intend to give in on this matter. I have followed the official route, and whatever the law allows me to do, I will implement on Monday,” Thaçi added.

Hajrullah Preniqi denied the Obiliq mayor’s allegations in comments to KosovaPress, saying that he had not threatened him.

Preniqi denies threatening Thaçi

“It is not true. He can say whatever he wants and make whatever statement he wants. He can go wherever he wants with those claims; as far as I am concerned, he was not threatened. Those are his own blackmail tactics,” Preniqi stressed.

KosovaPress also contacted the Kosovo Police for information about the case, but had not received a response by the time the report was published.