Former KEK chief Nagip Krasniqi pleads not guilty again on corruption charge

At the Basic Court in Prishtina, the trial continues on Monday in the case in which former CEO of the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK), Nagip Krasniqi, is accused of misuse of official duty. Krasniqi pleaded not guilty again at this hearing.

The new trial panel in this case consists of: Violeta Namani-Hajra, chair of the trial panel, Medie Bytyqi and Vesel Ismaili — members, reports “Betimi për Drejtësi” (Oath for Justice).

Then, the opening statements and witness testimonies given earlier in this judicial process were noted as read, when the trial panel was chaired by judge Arben Hoti, who has now been promoted to the Court of Appeals.

Previously, at the request of lawyer Virtyt Ibrahimaga, the trial panel declared that they had no communication with prosecutor Dren Paca, who had left the judges’ offices during the break. Prosecutor Paca also denied having had communication with the trial panel, other than with his own staff.

Krasniqi had pleaded not guilty at the initial hearing held on October 8, 2024. He also pleaded not guilty at the July 3, 2025 hearing.

The indictment of the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo, filed on August 19, 2024, charges Nagip Krasniqi with the criminal offense “Misuse of official position or authority.”

According to the indictment obtained by “Betimi për Drejtësi,” Krasniqi, in his capacity as KEK chief, starting from October 15, 2021 and continuously, with the aim of enabling the Slovenian economic operator “Holding Slovenske Elektrane” SE to trade electricity in the Republic of Kosovo in violation of the Electricity Law and the Energy Regulator Law, deliberately approved purchases, signed contracts and authorized their signing, and confirmed the continuation of trading with the operator in question, although he was aware that electricity could not be traded with this operator until it was licensed or its license was recognized by the Energy Regulatory Office (ZRrE).

The indictment says the operator was enabled to gain financial benefit as well as to avoid tax payments in the Republic of Kosovo, and consequently large-scale damage to the Kosovo budget, amounting to 531,920 euros and 79 cents. It also says this damaged and discriminated against other competing economic operators operating in the Kosovo market that were licensed and subject to tax obligations. Meanwhile, the material damage to KEK is said to be on a large scale, namely 3,229,905 euros.

From the Prosecution’s evidence, ZRrE is said to have fined KEK due to violations found in energy purchases. The Regulator’s report found that, based on the country’s legislation, energy trading activities may be exercised only with a license issued by ZRrE, and only if registered in Kosovo. It states that unlicensed activities could be allowed only if operators hold a license in their own countries that can be recognized in Kosovo only after the conditions under the Energy Activities Licensing regulation in Kosovo are met.

According to the indictment, ZRrE reacted several times through official letters and emails asking KEK to act in accordance with the law and to stop energy trading activities with unlicensed operators.

Further, it says that on August 19, 2022, ZRrE monitored the trading process in real time and noticed that despite the remarks and requests, KEK continued to act in violation of the law.

KEK’s working group had agreed to respect the findings of the ZRrE report. “Despite the convictions and arguments mentioned above, KEK will finally respect the positions of the ZRrE, as an institution called for regulating the energy sector, appointed by the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo under the legislation in force, which gives it this competence. In this case, KEK will stop trading energy with traders who do not present a license or evidence from ZRrE proving that they have no license, since all possibilities with the communications we have had with ZRrE have been exhausted,” the indictment states.

This response of the working group, according to the Prosecution, was not sent in full. In the email forwarded by Eljas Jashari, it says only the dissenting comments challenging the ZRrE findings were sent, considering they did not need additional licenses, since they were licensed in their own states.

“According to the above response, it results that the KEK working group’s positions were not forwarded to the ZRrE, but the personal position of Nagip Krasniqi,” the indictment states.

Further, it says that even the opinion of KEK’s legal office, in which the accused Krasniqi himself was in ‘cc’, agreed with the ZRrE, informing the accused Krasniqi that the regulator must be respected as it is the state authority competent for this field. Moreover, according to this opinion, even when KEK took the cases to Court, the ZRrE won the cases and their claims were rejected, since their competence is final for electricity matters.

Nagip Krasniqi, according to the indictment, had also been sent an email from the Energy Trading Management Department asking Krasniqi to confirm whether trading should continue with the operator “HSE,” emphasizing that from the response sent to the ZRrE, it was implied that trading should continue.

The accused Krasniqi had replied “I confirm the continuation of trading according to the response sent to the ZRrE.” As a result, trading with this unlicensed operator continued until the final suspension and termination of the contract in May 2023, and respectively August 2023.

With the confirmation that the operational director, Luigj Imeri, had requested from chief Krasniqi, in this correspondence, according to the Prosecution, after Krasniqi’s response, Anjeta Zeqiri and Besa Shatri had joked.

“Hahaha, you broke his guts,” “Hey, Luigji was going to resign here… he must have changed his mind,” were the replies in this official email.

The Slovenian operator is said to have not been on the list of licensed companies and, according to ARBK, was not even registered as a business in Kosovo.

Further, the indictment reveals that after KEK’s letter of August 7, 2023, it is proven that after the arrest of Nagip Krasniqi (on matters unrelated to this case), KEK on May 19, 2023 first notified “HSE” that it was suspending cooperation, later notifying them that it was terminating the contract in the absence of a license issued by the ZRrE, informing them that the moment “HSE” proves possession of a license issued or recognized by the ZRrE, KEK may initiate the process of signing a new contract.

Against Krasniqi, the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo (PSRK) on December 30, 2024 filed another indictment charging him with misuse of official duty.
/Betimi për Drejtësi/