A few weeks after taking over the Ministry of Justice in March 2021, Albulena Haxhiu was accepting guests to congratulate her for the new position but in one case, things took an unexpected turn.

Prosecutor Zejnullah Gashi, currently Prishtina’s Chief Prosecutor, allegedly visited the Former minister’s office, uninvited, to discuss a corruption investigation involving former Kosovo Prosecutorial Council Secretariat chief, Lavdim Krasniqi.

In a file compiled by the Kosovo Police and submitted to the Special Prosecution, Haxhiu who was questioned in July 22 and 23, 2024, had stated that former Prishtina Chief Prosecutor Kujtim Munishi arrived at her office to congratulate her on becoming justice minister and unexpectedly brought Gashi with him.

“I had not been informed that Kujtim Munishi would bring someone else with him,” Haxhiu told police, according to the file.

Ex-Minister Haxhiu stated that Kujtim Munishi had told her he was in the corridor of the Prosecutor’s Office when Zejna (Zejnullah) saw him and asked where he was going. Munishi replied that he was going to congratulate the minister on her mandate, after which Zejna allegedly said, “Wait for me, I’m coming too.”

In her testimony, Haxhiu alleged that Gashi opened a case file during the meeting and attempted to clarify that an investigation into former Kosovo Prosecutorial Council Secretariat head Lavdim Krasniqi was not politically motivated.

“He told me: ‘I have heard rumours that Lavdim Krasniqi is being prosecuted because of your grudge. But I am not doing this because of your grudge,’” Haxhiu stated.

She said she interrupted the conversation and told the prosecutors that ongoing investigations were not her concern, regardless of who was involved.

“I stopped the conversation and told him: ‘This is not my business, nor do I care what is being said. Even if it were my husband or my brother, I would not interfere in this matter.”

“Chief Prosecutor Kujtim Munishi, as his supervisor, did not reprimand him at any moment,” the minister added.

The case involving Krasniqi was considered politically sensitive because he comes from the same village as Haxhiu’s husband, Alban Krasniqi.

This statement highlights that prosecutor Zejnullah Gashi—who later became Chief Prosecutor—together with his superior at the time, Chief Prosecutor Kujtim Munishi, went to the Ministry offices to explain a corruption case file. 

Kallxo.com contacted Munishi to ask whether he considered the incident improper or a violation of prosecutorial ethics.

“I have no answer, thank you…” Munishi replied briefly.

The current Chief Prosecutor Gashi did not respond.

Haxhiu further told police that approximately two hours after the meeting she read media reports stating that Krasniqi’s pre-trial detention had been lifted at the request of prosecutor Gashi.

“Deputy Minister Blerim Sallahu and I were concerned because the same person had just been discussed in my office,” she said in her testimony.

The former minister later reported the incident to the police. 

Acting President Albulena Haxhiu, who gave this statement while serving as Minister of Justice, confirmed its content to our team and said she is not aware of what happened afterward with her complaint filed at the Prosecutor’s Office.

The Special Prosecution confirmed that Haxhiu had provided a statement, but said prosecutors found no grounds to open a criminal investigation.

“After analysing the information and evidence collected, no basis or reasonable suspicion was found to initiate criminal investigations, and the case was closed,” the prosecution said in a written response.

Kosovo’s Office of the State Prosecutor said no disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against Gashi.

“In our verified records, there is no indication that disciplinary procedures were conducted,” the office said.

Contacted by Kallxo.com, Krasniqi said he had never previously heard allegations that his case had been discussed with the justice minister.

“If it is true that he went and discussed it, then I really do not understand how he could maintain his position as a prosecutor while going to the minister to discuss the matter, or how his superiors, if they knew about it, failed to take action. That is terrible,” Krasniqi declared.

In the same testimony, Haxhiu alleged that former Kosovo Prosecutorial Council chairman Jetish Maloku approached her during a 2023 justice reform event to discuss his son’s application to become a notary.

According to Haxhiu, she rejected the request.

“He told me: ‘My son is applying for a notary position; if he could become a notary… I saw the members of the commission and I did not know any of them.’ I told him not to mention that. I have no information about his son whatsoever,” former minister Albulena Haxhiu continued, setting out her allegations.

Maloku did not respond to requests for comment.

English version was prepared by Ardita Zeqiri