Mention of Sami and Mërgim Lushtaku in woman’s murder case sparks clash in Assembly

A heated debate took place in the Assembly between Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) MP Mërgim Lushtaku and Vetëvendosje Movement MP Arbëreshë Kryeziu-Hyseni. The confrontation began after Kryeziu-Hyseni mentioned Lushtaku and his father in connection with the case of a man who had killed a woman and his friend.

Lushtaku described the statement as defamatory and challenged the MP to repeat the same claims outside the Assembly chamber, warning that he would file a lawsuit against her.

Lushtaku said that Kryeziu-Hyseni had linked his father’s name to a person who had committed murder, taking the lives of a woman and his friend. According to him, the MP was knowingly using the immunity she enjoys at the parliamentary podium to defame him.

“I feel compelled to speak here in such a case, where my name and my father’s name have also been mentioned, and I am referring to Arbëreshë Kryeziu, who mentioned my father’s name and linked it to a case involving a person who committed murder, taking the lives of a woman and his friend—something that is not part of our culture either. She knows that she has immunity at the podium here and is deliberately defaming me. I invite her to go outside the Assembly as well and say the same words, and a lawsuit will immediately follow. We should restrain ourselves before saying something,” Lushtaku said.

Arbëreshë Kryeziu-Hyseni responded by stating that, in her view, the PDK MP’s reaction reinforced what she had said earlier. She denied that Lushtaku had threatened her, while claiming that he had had close relations with the person being discussed.

“Do you see what we were talking about and how, in the end, they come out and put the seal on what we said? Was I just threatened—was I told to come outside and say it if I had the courage? It never suits you to be told the truth. You stayed silent until now. When you tell them the truth, they say, ‘I know your father and brother.’ This gentleman has never denied his closeness to the person. Everyone knows that you have close ties with him,” she said.

Assembly Speaker Albulena Haxhiu also became involved in the clash between the two MPs. She recalled an earlier incident when, according to her, Mërgim Lushtaku had accused her and MP Arbërie Nagavci of coming to the Assembly drunk.

Haxhiu also spoke about an incident that took place in the Assembly, during which, according to her, her arms were bruised. She said that, despite this, she had not been summoned by the Prosecutor’s Office.

“Citizens hear what we say here. I remember very well when, during one session, Lushtaku accused me and Arbërie Nagavci of coming to the Assembly drunk… Imagine the effect that statement has here in the Assembly. Also, my arms were bruised by Mërgim Lushtaku when he committed violence in the Assembly, but the Prosecutor’s Office did not summon me,” she said.

During the exchange, Lushtaku stated that other MPs might also have caused injuries during political actions. He called on everyone who makes statements at the Assembly podium to repeat them outside it as well and face the law, emphasizing that he had not called for a physical confrontation.

“You have also caused injuries; when there are political actions, someone gets hurt. I call on everyone who speaks at the podium to say the same things outside the Assembly so that we can face the law. I never said that we should confront each other physically,” he said.