Beqiri: Suspension of the ‘Tropoja’ file is pushing the crimes Sali Berisha is accused of toward the statute of limitations

The suspension of the “Tropoja” file by SPAK does not simply close the investigation into the murder of the Haklaj brothers, but risks removing Sali Berisha definitively from criminal responsibility for a series of crimes for which he has been reported, pushing the cases toward the statute of limitations. This warning was given by lawyer Idajet Beqiri, who represents the Haklaj family.

According to Beqiri, the suspended file is only one part of the cases in which the former prime minister has been reported. He claimed that in 26 of around 30 criminal proceedings, Sali Berisha is the first person reported as the organiser of the crimes, and that all of these proceedings have been suspended.

“It is not only about the murder of the Haklaj brothers or the murder of 2 other brothers, but about 30 criminal proceedings, in 26 of which the first reported person, the organiser of these crimes, is Sali Berisha with his criminal organisation. These 26 criminal proceedings date from May 10, 1998. Reports have also been made by my clients such as Izet Haxhia, but there are also other murders in Tropoja that have Sali Berisha as the one who ordered them. All of these criminal proceedings have been suspended,” Beqiri said.

The lawyer claims that the “Tropoja” file was also suspended without the investigations being exhausted. As an argument, he says the Haklaj family presented 24 witnesses, but SPAK questioned only four of them.

“The 33 pages of SPAK’s decision to suspend the case — the final aim is to exclude Sali Berisha and the criminal organisation from the most serious and macabre murders, to pass them off as they have passed into the statute of limitations, that is, for the offence to become time-barred. We gave them 24 witnesses and SPAK questioned only 4, the ones we brought ourselves. It does not investigate the case. The evidence Berisha himself presents is enough,” he declared.

Beqiri further raised the accusation that the murders for which the Haklaj family has reported Berisha had political motives, linking the conflict to Fatmir Haklaj.

“He was questioned about the murder of Sokol Haklaj and the guardsman in Milot. Berisha said with his own mouth: ‘They blocked my road, I was not turning back and I killed them’. So the murders are political, because Fatmir Haklaj did not answer his call to take up arms and rush at the south of Albania. Sali killed them one by one,” Beqiri said.

The lawyer also contests the suspension legally, arguing that such a decision can only be taken after the investigations and evidence have been exhausted, which according to him has not happened.

“There is also a law on the suspension of investigations. It is Article 362, which has 2 conditions saying that when the investigations have been exhausted and all the evidence has been taken and the perpetrator is not found, then in such a situation the investigation is suspended. SPAK has taken no action — so why are they suspending it?” he said.

The Haklaj family has appealed the decision to the GJKKO (Special Court), while Beqiri warned he will pursue the case through all levels of the judiciary, up to Strasbourg.

“I have filed an appeal request and I will follow all levels of the trial. I will continue to Strasbourg as well. We will not let go of it, because it is an extraordinarily grave wound. In this proceeding, the investigation into Remzi Hoxha has also been suspended. It is ridiculous, grave, murderous for the rule of law,” Beqiri concluded.