The former Minister of Infrastructure, at the same time MP of AAK, Pal Lekaj, was sentenced to three years and eight months of effective imprisonment, his former senior political advisor, Eset Berisha, was also sentenced to three years and three months of imprisonment, meanwhile , Nebih Shatri in the capacity of the former general secretary in this ministry was sentenced to 1 year and eight months, while Besim Tahiri, as director of public procurement in the Ministry of Infrastructure (MI) was sentenced to 1 year and eight months in prison. They were also sentenced to additional punishment for the prohibition of exercising public functions in the Public Administration and public services. The sentence against the accused will be executed after the verdict becomes final.
In announcing the verdict, Judge Violeta Namani said that the accused have misused their official duties in complicity.
Elaborating the judgment, Judge Namani said that the accused deliberately and premeditatedly exceeded their official powers, making an additional unjustified payment of 38 million euros, for the benefit of the Bechtel-Enka company.On the other hand, after the end of the session, the defense of the accused considered this decision scandalous, until they announced that they will appeal at the second level.
Likewise, Afrim Saliu, Eset Berisha's lawyer, said that today's decision gives Betchel Enka the right to initiate proceedings against Kosovo in the Court of Arbitration.
On February 4, 2022, the Specialist Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against the former Minister of Infrastructure Pal Lekaj, his political advisor Eset Berisha and the General Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Nebih Shatri and Besim Tahiri, regarding the execution of 53 million euros for the company "Bechtel & Enka" which was contracted to build the "Arbën Xhaferi" highway. /KosovaPress/
