Serbia’s intelligence agency BIA appears to have invested considerable effort over the years in recruiting sources and agents in Kosovo, as a series of recent arrests and convictions have involved allegations of espionage on behalf of Serbia.
Fehim Sali was arrested on August 13 at the Merdare border crossing while attempting to leave Kosovo. He is suspected of spying for Serbia’s BIA.
Sali is not the first person in Kosovo to face such allegations. Hysri Selimi was also accused of espionage and, at the conclusion of his trial, admitted that he had been involved with the Serbian intelligence service.
Another major case ended in April 2026 when Jelena Đukanović, a former OSCE official, was sentenced to six years in prison for espionage.
The three cases are among the most recent espionage investigations and prosecutions handled by Kosovo’s security and justice institutions.
According to lawyer Arbër Jashari, the cases demonstrate that Kosovo has significantly increased its efforts to combat espionage in recent years.
“It is encouraging that the state of Kosovo, especially over the past three years, has made exceptionally significant progress in combating this type of crime,” Jashari told Tëvë1. He said espionage had previously received limited attention from Kosovo’s institutions, noting that before 2023 relatively few people had been arrested, prosecuted or convicted for such offenses.
Jashari said Kosovo’s Criminal Code provides for severe penalties for espionage, depending on the circumstances and manner in which the offense is committed.
“Depending on the form in which the offense is committed, the minimum sentence can be five years, while the maximum can reach 10 or 12 years and, in certain circumstances, such as wartime or other extraordinary situations, can be significantly higher,” he said.
Sensitive Information at the Center of Espionage Cases
The information allegedly passed by suspected spies can be highly sensitive and potentially significant for Kosovo’s national security.
Professor Fatmir Çollaku said that hostile states can benefit from access to information that is not publicly available.
He explained that when information of national interest is provided to another party for any form of gain, it can harm Kosovo’s interests and security.
According to Çollaku, such information could allow another state to develop plans or scenarios that could ultimately undermine Kosovo’s national security.
The latest cases have also raised questions about the extent of Serbia’s intelligence networks inside Kosovo and the length of time they may have operated.
The Special Prosecution Office of Kosovo has confirmed that, in addition to cases already made public, other individuals are currently under investigation over suspected espionage and cooperation with Serbia’s BIA.
The developments indicate that Kosovo’s security and justice institutions are increasingly treating espionage as a serious national-security threat, while the growing number of investigations and convictions suggests a more active approach to identifying and disrupting suspected foreign intelligence networks.
