Kosovo PM Denies Testifying in Corruption Investigations

PRISTINA, Kosovo — On Tuesday, Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti once more declined to appear at the Special Prosecutor’s Office, which had summoned him as a witness in a purported corruption case concerning state reserves.

Kurti, who was initially called in December and did not comply, proposed that his testimony could instead be recorded at his office. Although he is not a suspect in the case, other officials have been implicated. Minimal information regarding the case is publicly available.
Kurti has suggested that the prosecutor’s demand is motivated by political interests.

“The prosecutor’s office is exploiting its authority to challenge the government, rather than targeting genuine crime and corruption. I have consistently expressed my willingness to testify,” Kurti told the media.

The prosecutors’ council and chief prosecutor backed the decision to summon Kurti, criticizing his claims of political partiality and asserting that his comments “significantly impair the functioning of democratic institutions.”

Kurti’s Self-Determination Movement Party achieved the most seats in the February 9 election; however, it fell short of a parliamentary majority, necessitating the search for a coalition partner to establish a new government.

This situation unfolds amid ongoing tension between Kosovo and its northern neighbor, Serbia. Since 2011, the European Union has facilitated normalization talks between the two nations, but progress has stalled. These discussions are vital for both countries’ aspirations for EU membership.

Once a Serbian province, Kosovo’s conflict saw a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999 to halt a war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian separatists—resulting in approximately 11,400 deaths, primarily among ethnic Albanians, and leading to the withdrawal of Serbian forces.

Serbia continues to reject Kosovo’s independence, which was declared in 2008.