Pal Lekaj

Pal Lekaj

Pal Lekaj (born 29 June 1962) is a politician and medical doctor in Kosovo. He was the mayor of Gjakova from 2007 to 2013 and a cabinet minister in the Republic of Kosovo government from 2017 to 2020. Lekaj is a member of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK).

Early life and career

Lekaj was born to an Albanian family in Gjakova, in what was then the Autonomous Region of Kosovo and Metohija in the People's Republic of Serbia, Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. He graduated from the University of Pristina's Faculty of Medicine in 1993 as a Doctor of General Medicine. During the Kosovo War (1998–99), Lekaj provided medical assistance to injured members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). He received a master of medical management from the Netherlands School of Public Health in 2000. ^[1]

Politician

Early years in local government (2000–07)

Lekaj was director of health and social welfare in Gjakova's provisional government from 1999 to 2000. He was appointed as director of the city's public hospital in 2000. ^[2]

He was elected to the Gjakova city assembly in the 2000 Kosovan local elections as a candidate of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, which was at that time a literal alliance rather than a united party. Local elections in Kosovo are held under open list proportional representation; Lekaj appeared in the twelfth position on the AAK's electoral list, finished second among the alliance's candidates, and was elected when the list won seven seats. ^{[3] [4] [5]} The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) won a majority government in the city, and the AAK served in opposition. It became a registered political party in 2001.

Lekaj was promoted to the second position on the AAK's list in the 2002 local elections and was re-elected when the list won ten seats. The LDK once again won the election. ^{[6] [7]}

Lekaj became chief executive officer of Gjakova in 2007. ^[8] He took part in a delegation to Montenegro in May of that year, during which he called for the return of persons displaced from the city in the 1998–99 conflict. "The doors remain open for all of those that were not involved in crimes towards the population during the war," he said. ^[9]

Mayor of Gjakova (2007–13)

Kosovo introduced the direct election of mayors in the 2007 Kosovan local elections. Lekaj ran as the AAK's candidate in Gjakova and was elected in the second round of voting. During the buildup to Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence in February 2008, he led a delegation of leading city representatives to Albania and met with prime minister Sali Berisha. During the meeting, Berisha pledged his support for Kosovo as an independent state. ^[10] Later in the year, Lekaj supported the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK)'s decision to prevent Gjakova's Serb community from creating a parallel municipal assembly after the controversial 2008 Serbian local elections in Kosovo. ^[11]

In late 2008, the leader of Kosovo Force (KFOR)'s Multinational Task Force West met with Lekaj and described the security situation in Gjakova as the safest in the area for which he was responsible. ^[12]

Lekaj was re-elected in the first round of voting the 2009 local election. In the 2013 local election, he was defeated by Mimoza Kusari Lila of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR).

Parliamentarian (2014–17)

Lekaj was assigned the fourteenth position on the AAK's electoral list in the 2014 Kosovan parliamentary election. He finished in third place among the party's candidates and was elected when the list won eleven seats. ^{[13] [14]} After protracted negotiations, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and LDK formed a coalition government, and the AAK served in opposition. In his first term, Lekaj was a member of the committee on foreign affairs; the stabilization and association committee; and the committee on legislation, mandates, immunities, rules of the assembly, and supervision of the Anti-Corruption Agency. ^[15]

The PDK-LDK government introduced two extremely controversial pieces of legislation in the 2014–17 term, respectively concerning a border demarcation with Montenegro and the creation of an Association of Serb Municipalities. The opposition AAK and Vetëvendosje parties strongly opposed these initiatives and frequently disrupted the assembly's proceedings to prevent their passage. In October 2015, Lekaj was part of an AAK delegation that met with Republic of Kosovo president Atifete Jahjaga in a bid to overcome the political impasse. Prior to the meeting, Lekaj said, "We will go to meet the president but we will not retreat an inch from our request - withdrawal from agreements and then dialogue." ^[16]

Several AAK and Vetëvendosje politicians disrupted assembly meetings in this period by opening tear gas canisters. Lekaj was at one time quoted as saying the opposition had an "endless supply of tear gas." He was himself detained on suspicion of opening a canister in December 2015, although it does not appear that he was arrested. ^{[17] [18]} The AAK ended its support for the tear gas protests in early 2016, and Lekaj became the leader of the party's parliamentary group at around the same time. ^[19]

Lekaj was chosen as a substitute member of the Assembly of Kosovo's delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in January 2017. He served until January 2018 and was not a member of any political alliance within the body. ^[20]

The PDK and AAK formed an electoral alliance for the 2017 parliamentary election. Lekaj received the sixteenth position on their combined list, finished twenty-seventh, and was re-elected when the list won a plurality victory with thirty-nine seats. ^[21]

Cabinet minister (2017–20)

The PDK and AAK continued their alliance after the 2017 election and became the dominant parties in a new coalition government. AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj became prime minister, and Lekaj was appointed as minister of infrastructure. ^[22]

In March 2018, Lekaj criticized the rates on Albania's first toll road as being too high. (Many Kosovars regularly cross the Albanian border to use the road in question.) ^[23] Later in the same year, he announced a delay on a planned highway from Pristina to the border with the Republic of Macedonia (now North Macedonia), accusing the previous administration of not paying the building consortium. ^[24]

Construction work began near the Visoki Dečani monastery in May 2018, leading to complaints from the Serbian Orthodox Church that a road was being constructed in the monastery's protective zone. Lekaj responded that the work was taking place outside the zone and was quoted as saying, "I would like to use this opportunity and inform everyone [...] that we are dealing with a completely normal matter and it should not be translated as something against the communities or to cause unnecessary noise." ^[25]

Lekaj and Jassim Saif Al Sulaiti signed an air transport agreement between the Republic of Kosovo and Qatar in July 2018, allowing Qatar's national airline to expand its operations worldwide. ^[26]

In December 2018, the Serb List threatened to bring down the Republic of Kosovo's government following the expulsion of Marko Đurić, the director of Serbia's Office for Kosovo and Metohija. Lekaj described this as an "empty threat" and was quoted as saying, "the Serb List should realize once and for all that they are citizens of Kosovo, an independent and sovereign state." ^[27]

Hardinaj's administration fell in mid-2019, and the PDK and AAK did not maintain their alliance into the 2019 parliamentary election. Lekaj was given the seventh position on the AAK's list, finished fourth, and was elected to a third term when the list won thirteen seats. ^{[28] [29]} Vetëvendosje won the election and formed a new administration with the LDK; Lekaj continued to serve as a cabinet minister in a caretaker government until the new administration took office in February 2020.

At the end of his ministerial term, Lekaj signed new rail and motorway agreements between Serbia and the Republic of Kosovo. These were not supported by the incoming Vetëvendosje-led administration. ^[30]

Return to parliament (2019–present)

The Vëtevendosje–LDK administration lost a confidence vote less than two months after its formation and formally resigned in June 2020. The LDK formed a new administration with the AAK, and Lekaj served in the assembly as a government supporter. The LDK–AAK government, in turn, fell from power in December 2020.

Lekaj again received the seventh position on the AAK's list in the 2021 Kosovan parliamentary election, finished sixth, and was elected to a fourth term when the AAK won eight seats. ^[31] Vetëvendosje won a landslide victory, and the AAK returned to opposition. Lekaj is now a member of the committee on budget, labour, and transfer, and the committee on economy, industry, entrepreneurship, and trade. ^[32]

Legal issues

After the end of his second mayoral term, Lekaj was charged with abuse of office for personal benefit. The charges were dropped in May 2017. ^[33]

In April 2018, he was charged with abuse of office and embezzlement pertaining to his time as mayor. When the charges were filed, he said, "All I can say for now is that in no case did I do something, which was not in accordance with the law." ^[34] He was acquitted in January 2022. ^[35]

In January 2024, Lekaj was convicted along with three aides and sentenced to three years and eight months' imprisonment and a 3.5 year ban on holding public office on charges of abuse of power in an overspending case involving the construction of the Arben Xhaferi highway in 2017 when he was infrastructure minister. ^[36]

Electoral record

Local (Gjakova)

2013 Kosovan local elections: Mayor of Gjakova

Candidate		Party	First round		Second round
			Votes	%	Votes	%
	Mimoza Kusari Lila	New Kosovo Alliance	20,160	43.95	25,183	52.38
	Pal Lekaj (incumbent)	Alliance for the Future of Kosovo–Democratic League of Dardania (Affiliation: Alliance for the Future of Kosovo)	16,376	35.70	22,890	47.62
	Hajdar Beqa	Democratic Party of Kosovo	5,574	12.15
	Luan Gola	Democratic League of Kosovo	2,926	6.38
	Arberije Nagavci	Levizja Vetëvendosje!	830	1.81
Total			45,866	100.00	48,073	100.00
Source: [37] [38]

2009 Kosovan local elections: Mayor of Gjakova

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Pal Lekaj (incumbent)	Alliance for the Future of Kosovo	21,861	51.92
	Mimoza Kusari Lila	New Kosovo Alliance	17,463	41.48
	Fehmi Vula	Democratic League of Kosovo	1,937	4.60
	Ilir Bytyqi	Democratic Party of Kosovo	787	1.87
	Shahin Roka	Social Democratic Party of Kosovo	54	0.13
Total			42,102	100.00
Source: [39]

2007 Kosovan local elections: Mayor of Gjakova

Candidate		Party	First round		Second round
			Votes	%	Votes	%
	Pal Lekaj	Alliance for the Future of Kosovo	12,409	37.98	19,185	56.39
	Astrit Haraqija	Democratic League of Kosovo	7,789	23.84	14,836	43.61
	Teuta Sahatqija	ORA	3,723	11.39
	Besnik Bardhi	New Kosovo Alliance	3,481	10.65
	Besim Mehmeti	Democratic League of Dardania	2,465	7.54
	Agim Jaka	Democratic Party of Kosovo	1,012	3.10
	Mentor Rruka	Alternative for Gjakova	809	2.48
	Aqif Shehu (incumbent)	Aqif Shehu	571	1.75
	Marjan Oroshi	Democratic Christian Party for Integration	414	1.27
Total			32,673	100.00	34,021	100.00
Source: [40] [41] [42]

References

1. Ministri: Dr. Pal Lekaj Archived 2017-10-01 at the Wayback Machine , Republic of Kosovo, accessed 13 January 2024.
2. Ministri: Dr. Pal Lekaj Archived 2017-10-01 at the Wayback Machine , Republic of Kosovo, accessed 13 January 2024.
3. Zgjedhjet për Kuvende Komunale 2000 – Fletëvotimet dhe listat e kandidatëve (Gjakovë – Lista e kandidatëve), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, accessed 13 January 2022.
4. Zgjedhjet për Kuvende Komunale 2000 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Rezultatet e subjekteve sipas komunave), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, accessed 22 January 2022.
5. ZGJEDHJET PËR KUVENDE KOMUNALE 2000 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Kandidatët e zgjedhur sipas subjekteve), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, accessed 22 January 2022.
6. ZGJEDHJET PËR KUVENDE KOMUNALE 2002 – Fletëvotimet dhe listat e kandidatëve (Gjakovë), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, accessed 18 January 2022.
7. Zgjedhjet për Kuvende Komunale 2002 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Rezultatet e subjekteve sipas komunave), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, accessed 4 February 2022.
8. Ministri: Dr. Pal Lekaj Archived 2017-10-01 at the Wayback Machine , Republic of Kosovo, accessed 13 January 2024.
9. "Kosovo Albanian delegation visits Montenegro to urge return of displaced," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 26 May 2007 (Source: KosovaLive website, Pristina, in English 25 May 07).
10. "Premier pledges Albania's support for 'Kosovo's democratic state'," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 13 February 2008 (Source: ATA, Tirana, in English 1900 gmt 12 Feb 08).
11. "UNMIK refuses request to support creation of Kosovo Serb assembly in Djakovica," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 2 July 2008 (Source: Koha Ditore, Pristina, in Albanian 29 Jun 08 p3).
12. "KFOR regional commander praises security situation in southwestern Kosovo," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 12 November 2008 (Source: KosovaLive website, Pristina, in English 11 Nov 08).
13. ZGJEDHJET E PARAKOHSHME PËR KUVENDIN E REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2014 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Rezultatet e të gjithë kandidatëve), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 20, accessed 14 January 2022.
14. ZGJEDHJET E PARAKOHSHME PËR KUVENDIN E REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2014 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Rezultatet e kandidatëve të zgjedhur sipas numrit të votave), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 5, accessed 14 January 2022.
15. Ministri: Dr. Pal Lekaj Archived 2017-10-01 at the Wayback Machine , Republic of Kosovo, accessed 13 January 2024.
16. "Kosovo president starts consultations with parties to overcome assembly crisis," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 22 October 2015 (Source: Koha Ditore, Pristina, in Albanian 20 Oct 15; pp 1, 3).
17. "Kosovo MPs stage new tear gas protest," Agence France Presse, 14 December 2015.
18. "Little-known group claims responsibility for setting fire to vehicles in Kosovo," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 15 December 2015 (Source: Koha Ditore, Pristina, in Albanian 14 Dec 15).
19. "Kosovo opposition vows to oppose ratification of border deal with Montenegro," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 9 May 2016 (Source: Koha Ditore, Pristina, in Albanian 6 May 16; p 3).
20. Mr Pal LEKAJ (Assembly of Kosovo*), Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, accessed 13 January 2024.
21. ZGJEDHJET E PARAKOHSHME PËR KUVENDIN E REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2017 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Rezultatet e kandidatëve sipas subjekteve të renditur sipas numrit të votave), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 2.
22. "Kosovo paper profiles controversial ministers in new cabinet," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 13 September 2017 (Source: Koha Ditore in Albanian 11 Sep 17).
23. "Drivers complain charges on Albania's 1st toll road too high," Canadian Press, 26 March 2018.
24. "Kosovo extends deadline for finishing motorway to Macedonia until end 2018," bne IntelliNews, 5 June 2018.
25. "Kosovo PM warns against hasty remarks on works near monastery," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 30 May 2018 (Source: Koha Ditore in Albanian 29 May 18).
26. "Qatar-Kosovo air services pact signed," Gulf News, 16 July 2018.
27. "Kosovan minister says Serb List should give up 'empty threats' to oust government," bne IntelliNews, 11 November 2018.
28. ZGJEDHJET E PARAKOHSHME PËR KUVENDIN E REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2019 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Rezultatet e të gjithë kandidatëve (renditja si në fletëvotim)), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 13, accessed 2 February 2022.
29. ZGJEDHJET E PARAKOHSHME PËR KUVENDIN E REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2019 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Ndarja e ulëseve në Kuvend (Subjektet dhe kandidatët e zgjedhur)), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 6, accessed 14 January 2022.
30. Valentina Dimitrievska, "Serbia and Kosovo agree to restore railway, motorway links," bne IntelliNews, 16 February 2020.
31. ZGJEDHJET E PARAKOHSHME PËR KUVENDIN E REPUBLIKËS SË KOSOVËS 2021 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Rezultatet e të gjithë kandidatëve (renditja si në fletëvotim)), Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 30, accessed 21 January 2022.
32. Pal Lekaj, Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, accessed 13 January 2024.
33. "Kosovo paper profiles controversial ministers in new cabinet," British Broadcasting Corporation Monitoring European, 13 September 2017 (Source: Koha Ditore in Albanian 11 Sep 17).
34. "Kosovan infrastructure minister charged with corruption," bne IntelliNews, 13 April 2018.
35. "Pal Lekaj is acquitted of the charge of abuse of office when he was the mayor of Gjakova", Koha, 21 January 2022, accessed 13 January 2024.
36. "Kosovo's former infrastructure chief sentenced to prison for abusing post on road project spending". Associated Press . 31 January 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
37. ZGJEDHJET PËR KRYETARË TË KOMUNAVE 2013 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Raundi i parë) – Rezultatet e kandidatëve për Kryetar Komune, Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 3, accessed 14 January 2022.
38. ZGJEDHJET PËR KRYETARË TË KOMUNAVE 2013 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Raundi i dytë) – Rezultatet e kandidatëve për Kryetar Komune, Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 2, accessed 14 January 2022.
39. ZGJEDHJET PËR KRYETARË TË KOMUNAVE 2009 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Raundi i parë) – Rezultatet e kandidatëve për Kryetar Komune, Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 3, accessed 14 January 2022.
40. ZGJEDHJET PËR KRYETARË TË KOMUNAVE 2007 – Fletëvotimet (Raundi i parë) – Gjakovë, Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, accessed 16 September 2023.
41. ZGJEDHJET PËR KRYETARË TË KOMUNAVE 2007 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Raundi i parê) – Rezultatet e kandidatëve për Kryetar Komune, Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 2, accessed 14 January 2022.
42. ZGJEDHJET PËR KRYETARË TË KOMUNAVE 2007 – Rezultatet dhe Statistikat (Raundi i dytë) – Rezultatet e kandidatëve për Kryetar Komune, Central Election Commission, Republic of Kosovo, p. 2, accessed 14 January 2022.