Ilir Beqaj Does Not Give Up, Files Another Appeal with the Supreme Court to Lift His Pretrial Detention and Offers Financial Guarantees

Ilir Beqaj made another attempt today to get out of jail. The former minister has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, asking for the “pretrial detention” security measure to be replaced with a more lenient one in exchange for a financial guarantee.

The request was reportedly filed this Tuesday and follows an attempt by Beqaj on May 13, when he made the same request and offered a financial guarantee of 20,000 euros.

Ilir Beqaj has been held in pretrial detention in Durrës since July 4, 2024, in connection with the sterilization case. On May 28, the Special Court ruled that he would be tried separately on charges of theft through abuse of office and participation in a structured criminal group.

Ilir Beqaj was formally charged by SPAK over the 100-million-euro sterilization concession. He was initially placed under the security measure of “obligation to report” before an investigator or Judicial Police officer once a week, every Friday at 15:30. Beqaj was also notified of a second measure, a “ban on leaving the country.”

In August 2023, the Special Prosecution Office arrested former Deputy Health Minister Klodian Rrjepaj on charges of abuse of office and falsification of documents in collusion, in connection with the nearly 100-million-euro sterilization concession awarded eight years earlier.