Former Health Minister Ilir Beqaj appeared this Saturday at the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime, GJKKO, without a lawyer, while the preliminary hearing in the SASPAK case produced no new development and was postponed again. In a case of public interest, the repeated delays keep the process on hold and leave unanswered a file linked to suspicions over EU funds.
The hearing did not take place, the process is postponed once again
At the GJKKO premises, Beqaj appeared without legal representation at the start of the preliminary hearing. The proceedings against the former minister did not move forward and were postponed again.
This is another delay in a case involving the administration of public funds and the use of money coming from the European Union, and each postponement adds to the questions over the pace of the trial.
Beqaj’s response on the absence of a lawyer
Asked by reporters at the entrance to GJKKO whether he had a lawyer with him, Beqaj replied briefly: “the lawyer was here yesterday.”
When asked whether the absence of the lawyer was connected to the boycott, he said he did not know. His statement did not provide a full explanation of the specific reason for the defense lawyer’s absence from the hearing.
What the SASPAK file contains
According to the prosecution, Beqaj is suspected of having abused EU funds during the time when he headed the SASPAK agency.
The case concerns the administration of funds and the former official’s responsibility in leading the institution, while the proceedings remain at the preliminary stage.
The latest postponement leaves the procedural picture unchanged for the former Health Minister, with the case still not having entered full judicial debate.
For the public, the core issue remains the same: an important process concerning suspicions over EU funds continues to move forward with delays, while responsibility remains to be examined in court.