The Basic Court in Pristina has extended the detention of espionage suspect Fatmir Sheholli until March 9 of this year. The detention measure was extended for two months at the request of the Special Prosecution of Kosovo, the spokesperson for the Basic Court in Pristina, Mirlinda Gashi, told Radio Free Europe. Sheholli was arrested in early October 2025 in Pristina, but the Special Prosecution did not provide details on who he is suspected of spying for.
However, on the day of his arrest, the acting Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, hinted that he may have been spying for Serbia. Sveçla stated that Sheholli enjoyed “unlimited space” in the Kosovo media, and that he had “collaborated with actors who work and act every day to undermine our Republic and its progress.” Recently, authorities in Kosovo have arrested, charged, and tried Serbs and Albanians on suspicion of spying for Serbia’s intelligence services.
In June last year, a court in Pristina sentenced Aleksandar Vllajic to five years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges of espionage as a member of the Serbian Intelligence and Security Agency (BIA). Two other suspects, Bedri Shabani and Muharrem Qerimi, are also on trial for espionage for Serbia at the Basic Court in Pristina.
They have pleaded not guilty to charges that they had provided information to the Serbian BIA about several security institutions in Kosovo, the KLA and the Recak massacre.
In another case, Serbian Jelena Djukanovic is also on trial, accused of spying for Serbian intelligence. She has denied the charges. The Special Prosecution also filed an indictment for espionage against a person suspected of involvement in the Iber-Lepec canal explosion. In Kosovo, espionage is defined as the secret activities of collecting, transmitting or distributing sensitive information to another state, organization or group.
According to the Kosovo Criminal Code, espionage is considered a serious crime and is punishable by at least five years in prison if the suspect is found guilty. Experts have said that espionage is a serious threat to Kosovo's security and the recent arrests only highlight the ongoing danger. According to them, this activity not only destabilizes the country internally, but also damages its international standing. /REL
