Ilir Beqaj has again appeared at the Special Court without a lawyer, at a preliminary hearing related to the SASPAK case. His appearance without legal representation once again highlights the disruption that the lawyers’ boycott is creating in sensitive criminal proceedings.
Appearance at GJKKO without legal representation
The former Health Minister appeared at GJKKO today without a lawyer, as part of the preliminary hearing for the case related to SASPAK.
Asked by reporters at the entrance to the court whether he was accompanied by his legal counsel, Beqaj replied briefly that “the lawyer was here yesterday.”
Questions over a link to the boycott
When asked whether the absence of his lawyer was connected to the boycott, Beqaj said he did not know.
This leaves it unclear whether his appearance without a lawyer is a direct consequence of the boycott declared by lawyers or a separate development in this case.
The hearing is linked to the SASPAK case file
Beqaj himself clarified that his appearance in court was related to the SASPAK case file.
The case is being handled at the preliminary stage, a procedurally significant moment for the continuation of the process at GJKKO.
Allegations over EU funds
According to the prosecution, Beqaj is suspected of having abused European Union funds during the period when he headed the SASPAK agency.
The prosecution’s claims remain part of the case under review in court, while the hearing held without the presence of a lawyer adds to the attention on the standard of representation in such cases.
The appearance of a former minister in such a proceeding without a lawyer is not merely a procedural detail. It once again exposes how crises in the justice system translate into delays, uncertainty and questions over the normal functioning of the courts.