Insult and defamation accusations by Adriatik Lapaj, Court of Appeal rules in favour of Agron Shehaj

The Special Court of Appeal has partially amended the first-instance decision in the court case between the chairman of the Mundësia (Opportunity) Party, Agron Shehaj, and the head of ‘Shqipëria Bëhet’, Adriatik Lapaj. With its decision of October 1, 2026, the GJKKO Appeals Court declared Shehaj not guilty also of the criminal offence of ‘Insult’, overturning the fine of 300,000 lek imposed by the Special Court of First Instance. Meanwhile, the Appeal upheld the first-instance decision acquitting Shehaj of the criminal offence of ‘Defamation’.

The court case began following a complaint filed by Adriatik Lapaj on April 1, 2025, concerning several public statements made by Shehaj. Lapaj had accused him of ‘Insult’ and ‘Defamation’. In its January 21, 2026 decision, the Special Court of First Instance had declared Shehaj not guilty of defamation, while for insult it had found him guilty and fined him 300,000 lek. At the centre of the legal conflict were Shehaj’s statements regarding Lapaj’s professional relations with the company ‘Merkaj 3 sh.p.k.’. Shehaj had publicly declared that Lapaj had received payments from this company, which had been seized by SPAK as part of an investigation. Lapaj had denied the claims, declaring that he had not received the payments he was accused of and that the amounts mentioned related to obligations for legal services he had performed as a lawyer.

With today’s decision of the Appeal, the 300,000 lek fine for insult has been overturned, while the acquittal for defamation has been confirmed.