Speech by the Chief Prosecutor of the Special Prosecution Office, Mr. Blerim Isufaj at the press conference

Pristina, December 30, 2024

Honored guests, respected representatives of the media, of justice, colleagues and valued friends,

Welcome to this year-end conference, an important moment to reflect on our work and to determine our path for the coming year. Your presence here today is a testimony to your commitment to justice and the rule of law, two key pillars that constitute the foundations of our democratic society.

The year we are leaving behind has been challenging but also with important achievements for the SPRK.

– The Special Prosecution Office has faced with courage and professionalism some of the most complex and delicate cases that affect our state and society. We have worked without compromise to fight corruption and organized crime and to protect human rights. These challenges are not only professional but also moral, requiring us to remain steadfast in our mission.

– Commitment to international justice and cooperation with international partners has been a fundamental pillar of our work. These efforts have strengthened the image of Kosovo as a state that respects and protects international standards and values.

– Working towards a more transparent and accountable system through increased communication with the public and relevant institutions has helped to increase public trust.

– We understand that the success of the SPRK depends on cooperation with all of you – judges, lawyers, police, international partners and civil society. I thank you for your continued support.

Our goal is to continue to promote equality before the law and ensure that every citizen of Kosovo feels equal before the law.

In particular, I would like to emphasize that our work this year has been in harmony with the priorities expressed in international reports and recommendations.

The Council of Europe in its latest report assesses the progress made by our institutions, including the Special Prosecution, as the competent prosecutor for the fight against organized crime and high-level corruption, but at the same time reminds us that this progress must be accelerated and deepened. This assessment is a strong motivation for us to intensify our efforts in this direction.

In this context, allow me to highlight some of the achievements and priorities of this year:

2. The fight against corruption has been and remains our main priority. During this year, we have filed charges in several high-profile cases, proving that no one is above the law, and at the same time we have other cases of such level in the process which are being handled with high professionalism and seriousness.
3. The investigation and prosecution of organized crime cases, in accordance with international standards, has been intensified. We are aware of the complexity of these cases, but we have demonstrated commitment to addressing them with maximum seriousness. I would like to highlight some concrete cases of these activities:
4. a) The joint operation between the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo, in cooperation with the counterpart authorities from the Republic of North Macedonia, with the assistance of Europol and Eurojust, for the criminal offense of counterfeiting money, an offense committed as a form of organized crime, which resulted in the successful arrest of several persons in both countries.
5. b) The joint operation of the SPRK, with the Republic of Albania, conducted a few days ago for the criminal offense of arms trafficking as a form of organized crime, in which several persons were arrested in Kosovo and Albania, and at the same time several dozen weapons of various types were seized.
6. c) The joint operation a few days ago between the Special Prosecution of Kosovo, SPAK and the FBI, which resulted in the arrest of (three) Kosovar citizens and (one) citizen from the Republic of Albania, who through online fraud platforms have stolen numerous data of American citizens, from which they have realized illegal material benefits, including investments in cryptocurrency.
7. Cooperation with international and regional partners has been essential in the fight against transnational criminal networks. Our work is a clear example that cooperation and information sharing yield tangible results.

Thanks to the dedication of the leadership and prosecutors of the SPRK, we have managed to organize the work within our Departments, conduct investigations, file indictments and represent them in sensitive cases of organized crime, corruption, war crimes, financial crime and terrorism.

The Special Prosecution Departments have received and resolved the cases recorded in the relevant registers, namely the register with known perpetrators, the register with unknown perpetrators and the register for various criminal cases.

According to the latest data, during 2024, 481 cases were received for work in the Special Prosecution Office in all registers, while 230 cases were completed. In this regard, only in the register with known perpetrators, cases against 674 persons were resolved.

Regarding the statistical data, we inform you that you will find more detailed information on the website of the prosecutorial system, as soon as they are fully processed in January 2025.

A good job that has been done this year  is also the targeted cases, where only in 2024 we have targeted 8 new cases, while 9 indictments have been filed, respectively, since the beginning of targeting several years ago and so far 97 cases of corruption and organized crime have been targeted. Statistics show that extraordinary work has been done and is being done regarding these cases, and within this framework are:

Distinguished guests,

While we are proud of these achievements, we are also very aware that we still have much to do.

To achieve the highest standards of the rule of law, we must focus on strengthening institutional capacities, increasing transparency and building a strong culture of integrity.

Looking ahead to the year ahead, we have several clear objectives:

• To deepen efforts to prosecute cases of organized crime, corruption, war crimes and terrorism, including more proactive investigations and more effective inter-institutional cooperation.
• To continue to harmonize our practices with international recommendations.
• To ensure that our institution provides equal and fair treatment to all citizens.

In conclusion, let me emphasize that our work is not only about enforcing the law, but also about building a fairer and more honest society. This is a mission that requires all of us to cooperate and show maximum commitment.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to all my collaborators, prosecutors and administrative staff with whom we managed to record the successes of the Special Prosecution Office for 2024.

I thank you, the media, for being and being a coherent voice for all our developments and work.

Finally, I would like to assure all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo that we will continue our work and fight without compromise against all those who violate the law without distinction, regardless of their position and role in or outside of power.

I wish you all a happy New Year, wishing you health and all the best!

Thank you for your attention!