Opposition calls for Gërvalla and Sveçla to step down despite Hoxha’s resignation

The three main opposition parties are calling on Justice Minister Donika Gërvalla and Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla to accept political responsibility for the killing of Arlinda Zekaj. The resignation of Police Director Gazmend Hoxha has not eased the pressure on the Kurti government.

On Friday, at a news conference, PDK MP Besa Kabashi-Ramaj said Hoxha should not serve as a “scapegoat” for the ministers. She referred to the findings of the Police Inspectorate, according to which one protection order was not enforced, another was enforced late, and a request to reassess the risk was ignored. Kabashi-Ramaj called on Prime Minister Kurti to ask the ministers to step down or dismiss them if they do not resign.

Avni Arifi of AAK described the joint conference held by Gërvalla and Sveçla as “despicable.” He said the director’s “moral” resignation was not enough and announced that the Alliance supports the women’s protest in Pristina. Meanwhile, LDK MP Avdullah Hoti wrote on Facebook: “Accountability is not a report. It is a resignation.”

In their appearance on Friday, Gërvalla and Sveçla refused to resign, saying that the time was not yet right. Gërvalla said the documentation showed that the killing could most likely have been prevented and cited institutional delays from July 10 to October 25. Sveçla listed the police violations, including failure to enforce the first protection order and the delay in enforcing the second.

So far, 11 police officers, the chief prosecutor of Peja and the prosecutor handling the case have been suspended. Kurti has accepted Hoxha’s resignation and appointed Fehmi Hoti as acting director.

Organizers have announced that the protests will continue every day until the two ministers step down. They have already been held in Peja and Mitrovica, while another protest has been announced for today in Pristina.