Special Prosecution Office responds after ruling against Pal Lekaj and others

The Kosovo Special Prosecution Office has welcomed the guilty verdict handed down by the Basic Court in Pristina during the retrial of the “€53 million” case. The judgment reaffirmed the guilt of Pal Lekaj, Eset Berisha, Nebih Shatri and Besim Tahiri for abuse of official duty.

According to an official statement, the SPRK described the outcome as a significant triumph for the rule of law, ensuring accountability for high-level corruption. It demonstrates that abuse of public office and misuse of state funds inevitably result in accountability before the law.

According to the prosecuting authority’s response, the Prosecution Office reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the fight against corruption and to prosecuting anyone suspected of committing such offenses.

The Special Prosecution Office’s indictment, filed on February 4, 2022, targeted four senior officials for the joint and premeditated abuse of official authority. Pal Lekaj, in his role as infrastructure minister; Eset Berisha, his senior political adviser; Nebih Shatri, serving as the ministry’s secretary-general; and Besim Tahiri, the department’s procurement director, were charged in connection with the allocation of €53 million to the companies “Bechtel & Enka” during the Pristina-Hani i Elezit highway project, known as the “Arbën Xhaferi” highway.