The Gjilan Basic Prosecution has authorized the Kosovo Police to investigate illegal construction in the municipality of Novobërdë after an investigation by BIRN and the Internews Kosova TV programme, ‘Kallxo Përnime‘, which lasted several months, aired on June 20, 2025.

Arben Kadriu, the Chief Prosecutor in Gjilan told Prishtina Insight that, “on June 30, 2025, the Kosovo Police was authorized to undertake an investigation.”

‘Kalllxo Përnime’ had revealed that the unauthorized construction of hundreds of villas on forest and agricultural land was allegedly funded by loans to public officials, and made possible by illegal decisions used as a basis in a court process.

It all started in 2020 when Labinot Rexha and Bekim Hallaqi allegedly started construction on 30 villas in the village of Makresh i Epërm in the municipality of Novobërdë. The Inspectorate director in Novobërdë at the time, Xhevat Mehmeti, issued a decision for Rexha to halt the construction.

Mehmeti told ‘Kallxo Përnime’ that the construction did not stop.”If he had complied with the order, he wouldn’t have built [the villas]… I don’t need to take him to law enforcement, I issued the decision for him to stop his work, it’s his business what he did afterwards,” Mehmeti told ‘Kallxo Përnime’.

Rexha himself told Kallxo Përnime that municipal inspectors never stopped his work, even though he was building without a construction permit. “The inspectors never came, never. Nor have I ever seen any forestry inspectors…” he claimed. According to Kosovo legislation, there can be no construction on forest land without a decision to change its designation.

Rexha claimed that he requested a change of designation with the municipality several times, but never received a positive response.
Based on a January 6, 2022, decision, seen by ‘Kallxo Përnime’, issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, led by Faton Peci, Rexha’s request to change the designation of the land from forest land to construction land had been rejected.

Alleged financial misconduct

In a recorded conversation from 2025, obtained by Kallxo Përnime, Rexha spoke to the former mayor of Novobërda, Svetislav Ivanovic, about lending 20,000 euros to his brother, Sreten, who currently holds a senior administrative position in the municipality.

“You told me this is a great investment and encouraged me to continue,” Rexha tells Svetislav Ivanovic in the recording.

During the conversation, Rexha claimed that Sreten had previously told him: “I have a job—give me around 20,000 euros.” According to Rexha, when he asked, “When will you return it?” Sreten replied, “After one or two years. I’ll help you with some work.”

Rexha is also heard claiming that Bekim Hallaqi, his business partner, withdrew this money from a bank and handed it to Sreten Ivanovic.

Hallaqi denied any such transaction. “I never gave any money to Sreten, maybe Labinot did, but not me,” Hallaqi told Kallxo Përnime.

Meanwhile, Svetislav Ivanovic is heard denying knowledge of the loan, and neither brother has agreed to comment on the allegations.

The ‘legal violations’ of the Central Forestry Inspectorate

According to an internal auditor’s report at the Kosovo Forestry Agency, the Central Inspectorate for Forestry and Hunting had conducted an inspection of construction in Makresh i Epërm, Novobërdë, in 2021.
The inspectors did not halt the works or stop the cutting of the forest at the location where the villas were being built by Rexha. But, as described in the report provided by ‘Kallxo Përnime’, they did request local authorities carry out a verification of all unauthorized construction.
The auditing report deemed this conduct by the inspectorate a violation.
“It is suspected that the legislation in force was not implemented in this case, at the moment the inspectors found that the owners had not followed any legal procedure, they should have done everything in their power to stop any unauthorized construction that does not meet the criteria and does not possess preliminary documentation for the cutting of forests and damage to forest land, and to take concrete measures according to the powers of the inspectorate and the legislation in force,” the report reads.

The questionable decision of the Municipal Assembly

Another neighborhood with about 35 villas was built in 2023 in the village of Klobukar in the municipality of Novobërdë. The owner of the villas was Valon Ramushi.
On April 3, 2024, the Gjilan Basic Court fined Ramushi 2,200 euros for construction without a permit.
Judge Sadri Krasniqi took a decision by the municipal assembly as a mitigating circumstance.
“The court also took into account the fact that the same person changed the designation of the land, from agricultural land to construction land, then submitted a request for a construction permit, but has not yet received a response from the competent authorities,” the verdict stated.
According to the law, every decision of the Municipal Assembly must be sent to the Ministry of Administration and Local Government, MAPL, for assessment of legality.
On April 30, 2025, MAPL, told ‘Kallxo Përnime’ in a written response that it had accepted the decision of the Municipal Assembly of Novobërdë.
In accordance with the law, MAPL, sent the decision for legal assessment to the line ministry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, on December 18, 2023. This decision was ignored until ‘Kallxo Përnime’ started investigating the issue. Only then did the Ministry of Agriculture begin work on the case in order to verify whether the decision of the Municipal Assembly of Novobërdë was in accordance with the law.