There is currently only one prosecutor left at the Serious Crimes Appeals Prosecution Office, which has now become practically defunct.
Yesterday, the Independent Qualification Commission (KPK) dismissed its director, Artan Bajrami.
Bajrami’s predecessor, Besa Nikëhasani, who had been installed as director by General Prosecutor Arta Marku, was dismissed by the KPK in April 2018. After her dismissal, there were only two prosecutors left, Buhar Sheshi and Artan Bajrami. Sheshi was elected to the High Prosecutorial Council (KLP) in December 2018, after which Bajrami was on his own.
Sheshi recently became the center of a controversy, because the Authority for Information on Documents of the former State Security (AIDSSh) had found that he had been a collaborator of the Sigurimi during the dictatorship.
On January 21, the KLP nominated Isa Jata to the Serious Crimes Appeals Prosecution Office, which is in charge of all the appeals filed to the Serious Crimes Court of First Instance, as well as those from the the Serious Crimes Appeals Court to the High Court.
According to the Constitution and vetting legislation, the Serious Crimes Appeals Prosecution Office should have been replaced months ago by the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office (SPAK), but the KLP has postponed the application deadline because there were not enough candidates. Nevertheless, the expectation is that SPAK will exist in June, although this timeline appears practically unfeasible.
