Initial hearing begins against Fatmir Sheholli, Nenad Rashiq also present in court

The initial hearing against Fatmir Sheholli has begun at the Basic Court in Pristina. He is facing charges of “Espionage” and “Blackmail,” while acting minister Nenad Rashiq is also present in the courtroom as the injured party.

The hearing was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and represents one of the first steps in the legal process, during which procedural issues and the parties’ positions on the indictment filed by the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo are expected to be examined.

According to the prosecution’s allegations, Sheholli acted as a person recruited by Serbia’s Security and Intelligence Agency, BIA, carrying out the orders and tasks of Bojan Dimiq, whom the indictment identifies as director of BIA’s Directorate for Combating Terrorism and International Organized Crime. According to the indictment, his activities extended from an unspecified date until October 9, 2025.

The prosecution alleges that during this period Sheholli collected and forwarded data and documents concerning political activities, the security situation and the functioning of Kosovo’s institutions.

The case is also linked to allegations of cooperation with BIA, while the investigative file includes materials and communications that the prosecution considers evidence.

According to the indictment, BIA gave Sheholli 5,000 euros and audio materials, with the aim of influencing local elections among Kosovo’s Serb community.

The prosecution says that, several days before last year’s local elections, he received materials containing audio conversations and transcripts of several senior officials from the Ministry for Communities and Return, an institution headed by Nenad Rashiq.

The alleged plan was to publish these materials in Kosovo’s media in order to damage the reputation of Kosovo’s officials and institutions and influence the electoral process.

The indictment states that Sheholli handed the materials to journalist and analyst Milaim Zeka, along with 1,000 euros, and also instructed him on when and how to publish them on the program “Pa Rrotlla.”

According to the prosecution, Sheholli told Zeka that the materials had been obtained from the German Development Agency, GIZ.

Another important part of the indictment concerns a photograph found on Sheholli’s phone bearing the inscription “Top Secret 2.” The prosecution alleges that it was an action plan aimed at creating the impression that Kosovo is a radicalized and extremist state.

According to the prosecution, the document envisaged collecting funds from Islamic embassies in Belgrade and using them to build mosques in prominent locations. According to the prosecution, the purpose described in the document was to create insecurity and drive some young people away from Kosovo.

The prosecution further alleges that the plan aimed to change Western powers’ stance toward Kosovo and create circumstances for the country to return under Serbia’s jurisdiction.

Among the materials mentioned in the indictment is also a document titled “Leptiri,” found on Sheholli’s phone.

The prosecution alleges that the document was drafted by Serbia’s State Security structure, RDB, in 2001, and described a plan to compromise and recruit acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti during the period when he was serving a sentence in Serbian prisons.

According to the description provided by the prosecution, the plan envisaged engaging an operative source codenamed “Leptiri” to obtain compromising materials about Kurti and exert pressure on him to persuade him to cooperate with RDB.

In addition to espionage, Sheholli is also accused of blackmailing a Kosovar businessman.

The indictment states that he possessed video recordings of the businessman and allegedly, relying on these materials, demanded a sum of money exceeding 13,000 euros.

The prosecution says that in this case it has photographs, recordings and other evidence obtained through special investigative measures, including monitoring and wiretapping.

Fatmir Sheholli was arrested on October 9, 2025 and, according to published reports, has been in pretrial detention since then.

He has worked as a journalist and served as an adviser at the Municipality of Graçanica and at the Ministry for Return. He has also headed a non-governmental organization and has frequently appeared in the media as a political analyst.

All the allegations included in this article are part of the indictment filed by the Special Prosecution. Fatmir Sheholli is presumed innocent until the court reaches a final decision.