The court hearing against former Minister of Health, Ilir Beqaj, has been accompanied by strong debates between his defense and the Special Prosecution Office (SPAK). Prosecutors have requested the dismissal of 23 requests submitted by Beqaj, calling them legally unfounded, while the former minister has raised accusations against the way the prosecution body functions.
Special Prosecutor Edvin Kondili stated before the court that Beqaj's claims were answered during the investigation phase and in the preliminary hearing. According to SPAK, the request to declare the notice of indictment invalid should be dismissed, as all procedural actions were approved by the preliminary judge.
Regarding Beqaj's claim that the theft charge is not proven, SPAK argued that the former minister is not presenting concrete requests, but rather raising issues that should be addressed during the final conclusions of the process.
Regarding the lack of the original procurement contract at the Ministry of Health, the prosecution acknowledged that the failure to find the document constitutes a procedural problem, but emphasized that the unified copy of the contract is in the file, which is considered valid evidence. SPAK also defended the legality of the data obtained from the electronic control of computer equipment.
On the other hand, Ilir Beqaj has opposed the prosecution's position, claiming that his procedural rights were violated during the investigations and that this is making it difficult to prepare his defense.
"The prosecution admitted that during the investigation phase it openly violated my rights. Today I find it difficult to defend myself. The independence gained after the Justice Reform is being used by prosecutors to violate procedural rights," Beqaj declared in the courtroom.
The former minister also claimed that the report against him should have been rejected from the beginning, as according to him it was based on suspicions and questions, not on concrete facts. He also raised questions about the certification of the SPAK forensic laboratory, demanding that the prosecution prove whether the equipment used for examining the computers meets the required standards.
After hearing the parties, the court decided not to immediately rule on the submitted requests. The next hearing is scheduled for September 11, when the panel is expected to rule on the former minister's 23 requests.
