06 March 2014

The panel of two international and one local judge from the Court of Appeals, on 05 March 2014, issued a ruling, deciding on the appeal of the Special Prosecutor and the appeals of defendants F.L., E.S., N.K. and F.Z. against the Ruling on indictment and admissibility of evidence, rendered by the presiding trial judge of the Basic Court of Pristina on 01 July 2013 in the co-called MPTP 1 case.

The Court of Appeals partially accepted the Prosecution Appeal and declared as admissible the evidence obtained in the house search of F.L.'s residence in Çagllavicë/ Čaglavica on 28 April 2010, which was previously excluded by the presiding trial judge. The Court also declared as admissible evidence the record of the interview of defendant F.L. to the Special Prosecutor on 04 September 2012. The remainder of the prosecution appeal was rejected as unfounded. The appeals of the defence counsel were rejected as unfounded.

Following the Ruling of the Court of Appeals, the criminal case will proceed to main trial before the Basic Court of Pristina in the scope of the affirmed Indictment as follows:

F.L. is charged with committing the following criminal offences Organized Crime, Abusing Official Position or Authority, Accepting Bribes and Non-declaration of Received Campaign Money.

E.S. is charged with committing the criminal offences Organized Crime, Abusing Official Position or Authority, Accepting Bribes.

N.K. is charged with committing the following criminal offences: Organized Crime, Abusing Official Position or Authority, Accepting Bribes.

F.Z.is charged with committing the criminal offences Misuse of Economic Authorizations and Giving Bribes.

The dismissal of the Indictment in its entirety against defendants F.L., D.L. and G.Z. was affirmed by the Court of Appeals. The proceedings against these defendants have been terminated.

The case is prosecuted by an international prosecutor from the Kosovo Special Prosecution Office (SPRK).