Special Prosecution: Seven BIA-related espionage cases, four convictions

The Prosecutor of the Special Prosecution of Kosovo, Bekim Kodraliu, has announced that over the last two years, seven espionage cases have been investigated, in which it is suspected that various people were recruited by the Serbian Intelligence Agency - BIA.

In an exclusive interview with RTK, Kodraliu said that the investigations were conducted in cooperation with the Kosovo Intelligence Agency and the Kosovo Police.

"More specifically, so far we have seven cases of espionage with several people who are suspected of having been part of the recruitment structures by the Serbian Intelligence Agency (BIA)," Kodraliu stated.

According to him, so far there have been four convictions for the criminal offense of espionage, while two of them are already final.

"We have two convictions that are already final, respectively of the convicted Aleksandër Vlajić, as well as the other convicted Bojan Jevtić, both of whom have pleaded guilty to the criminal offense for which we have also provided concrete evidence," he said.

The two convicts were senior police officials.

Kodraliu emphasized that the sensitivity of these cases is also increased by the positions held by some of the convicted persons.

According to him, Aleksandër Vlajić and Bojan Jevtić were senior officials in the Kosovo Police.

"One was a lieutenant with the rank of Kosovo Police, more specifically at the border point in Kamenica, and the other was a police intelligence officer in the northern part of Mitrovica," Kodraliu stated.

He said that precisely because of their positions, the Special Prosecution Office has taken urgent action to secure evidence.

The case of Aleksandër Vlajić

Speaking about the case of Aleksandër Vlajiq, Kodraliu announced that he was also convicted for the terrorist attack on the offices of the Municipal Election Commission in Mitrovica, in December 2022.

According to him, during the examination of Vlajiq's phones, evidence was found that led to the initiation of espionage investigations.

"From the examination of the phones of the convicted Aleksandër Vlajić, we have observed sufficient evidence to initiate a case for espionage, and from the provision of other evidence, we have also proven before the court that the same person was also recruited to the Serbian intelligence service, more specifically to the official, respectively the person responsible for the BIA in the Novipazar region," Kodraliu stated.

He announced that from this investigation, a criminal case has also been initiated against an official from North Mitrovica, who was part of the OSCE mission in Kosovo.

According to Kodraliu, she was convicted in the first instance, while the case is currently being handled at the Court of Appeal.

"For this reason, I have to be a little reserved in dealing with this official, who is currently being prosecuted in court," he said.

Kodraliu on the Sheholli case: The intention was to harm political figures

Prosecutor Kodraliu also spoke about the case of Fatmir Sheholli, saying that he is suspected of providing assistance to the Serbian intelligence service, specifically to a senior BIA counterterrorism official, Bojan Dimić.

According to Kodraliu, the aid was allegedly offered for the implementation of a mission aimed at damaging several political figures in Kosovo.

"Fatmir Sheholli has offered assistance to the Serbian intelligence service, specifically to the senior BIA counterterrorism official, Bojan Dimić, in implementing a mission aimed at damaging several political figures in Kosovo," Kodraliu stated.

He emphasized that, according to the investigations, the intention was for the damage to these political figures to occur before the elections held in Kosovo.

"And, most importantly, the damage was intended to be caused before the elections that were held in Kosovo," Kodraliu said.

The Special Prosecution Office continues to handle suspected espionage cases, while some of the court proceedings have not yet reached a final decision.