Ilir Beqaj’s Trial Postponed After Marathon Session – New Hearing Set for December 12
After more than eight hours of intense courtroom proceedings, the trial for former Minister of Health, Ilir Beqaj, has been postponed. The next hearing is scheduled for December 12, following a request from Beqaj’s defense lawyers for the case to either be dismissed or sent back for further investigation.
Ilir Beqaj was arrested in July on charges of corruption, asset concealment, fraud, and tender manipulation, along with Ermal Kurtulaj and five others.
As the former Director General of SASPAK, Beqaj is suspected by SPAK (Special Anti-Corruption Structure) of collaborating with Kurtulaj and five additional individuals to misappropriate EU funds, diverting them from their intended purpose.
According to SPAK, Beqaj orchestrated fraudulent procurement procedures worth hundreds of thousands of euros, awarding contracts to various companies for services that were never rendered. The ultimate beneficiary of these funds, SPAK claims, was Beqaj himself, through Restorant Gzona in Tirana, which prosecutors allege is under his ownership.
The case, involving high-profile corruption and EU fund mismanagement, has drawn significant public and political attention, with critics calling for increased accountability and transparency in government institutions.
