Following the dismissal of Besim Kelmendi from his role as Acting State Prosecutor, members of the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council (KPC) have called on the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (AKI) to assess and safeguard the country’s legal and institutional security.
KPC members stated that, under the current composition, the quorum for decision-making is six members. Although ten members were initially present at today’s meeting, five of them left during the session. The decision to dismiss Kelmendi was taken by the remaining five members.
Several KPC members argued that they were not informed about the continuation of the meeting, during which KPC Chair Ardian Hajdaraj claimed there was no quorum to proceed. Some members now describe the decision as unlawful and invalid.
Visar Krasniqi, a member of the KPC, said the Council is calling on the AKI to evaluate the situation and maintain legal security in the country.
Meanwhile, Besim Kelmendi stated that he has not received any formal decision regarding his dismissal. He said he will address the competent institutions that have the authority to suspend or review such a decision.
Another KPC member, Arian Gashi, urged prosecutors within the Office of the State Prosecutor to exercise their legal responsibilities, arguing that the decision to remove Kelmendi is contrary to the law.
Earlier today, the KPC voted to dismiss Acting State Prosecutor Besim Kelmendi. In his place, KPC Chair Ardian Hajdaraj proposed Prosecutor Agron Qalaj.
This development comes only a day after Kelmendi announced, in an extraordinary press conference, that he had been interviewed by the Special Prosecution. He described recent accusations against him as defamatory and spoke about his previous work at the District Court, including his testimony request in the investigation of the Reçak massacre.
Kelmendi firmly denied ever being in Reçak before 2001. He stated that he has never been present there prior to that year and that he received no explanation for the invitation to testify. Kelmendi emphasized that if even a single photograph emerges showing him in Reçak during the time of the massacre perpetrated by Serbian forces, he would resign and leave Kosovo.
