Agim Ceku after the decision in the Veterians case: Expected Decision

<x0) During the entire time since the beginning I felt innocent, we witnessed this during this process and it was a fair and expected decision”, Ceku said, after declaring the indictment Tuesday, reports “The Justice Voting”.

He, along with former Defence Minister Rrustem Berisha, MP Shkumbin Demalijaj, Nuredin Lushtaku, Sadik Halityhan, Qele Gashi, Shukri Buja, Ahmet Daku, Faik Fazliun, Smajl Elezajn, Fadil Shudren and Xhavari have been acquitted of misusing office or official authority.

The trial was announced by the chairman of the court, Judge Nushe Kuka-Mekaj.

The Constitutional Court in Pristina, on June 19, 2019, had confirmed the indictment for the case, while the Court of Appeals had confirmed that ruling in August 2019.

With the SPRK indictment, it was also required that the Constitutional Court in Pristina be commissioned by the Ministry of Labour and Social Management (MPMS) to suspend payment of pensions for 19,500 veterans until the outcome of the judicial process.

But, on April 1, 2019, the court had rejected this request with the argument that the proposal for the interim move is not against the accused, but against the MPMS, as the third party, reports “Justice Voting”.

According to the indictment prepared by former special prosecutor Elez Blakaj, the people involved are charged that between 2011 and 2017, acting as members of the Government Commission for recognition and Verification of the Status of the Nation's Witness, Invaledit, Veteran, Partitor and Intervent of the Kosovo Liberation Army War, have used the duty and official authority, passing over competencies and failing to fulfill the official duties, in order to benefit other persons illegally, in order to continue, at the damage to the budget of the Republic of Kosovo.

This indictment includes 12 persons who are charged with criminal work “misusing official position or authority”.

As had been reported by “Justice Trust”, the list of accused persons led Agim Ceku, followed by Nuredin Lushtiu, Sadik Halitijaha, Shumbin Demalijaj, Qele Gashi, Shukri Buja, Ahmet Daku, Rrustem Berisha, Faik Fazliu, Smajl Elezaj, Fadil Shudaj and Xavit Jashar.

The PSRK, too, had proposed to this court that it should release the measure to prevent the payment of illegally acquired pensions as KLA veteran fighters, until the end of the criminal procedure.

In addition, according to the SPRK, evidence provided so far has proved that illegal payments to KLA war veterans has been damaged in many of the Republic of Kosovo's 68,153,533.14 euros.

While, with the indictment handed down to the court on December 7th 2018, it is claimed that the Republic of Kosovo budget has been damaged in many of the 88.769,217.04 euros.