Who's Who – Zejnula Gashi: From Police Officer to Kosovo's Chief State Prosecutor, High Expectations Ahead

Zejnula Gashi, a prosecutor originally from Prizren with 26 years of experience in Kosovo's justice system, will serve as Kosovo's Chief State Prosecutor for the next seven years after officially assuming office yesterday.

Since 2023, Gashi has served as Chief Prosecutor of the Basic Prosecution Office in Pristina.

At the beginning of his judicial career, he spent five years as a judge at the Basic Court in Prizren. In 2015, he was appointed prosecutor at the Basic Prosecution Office in Prizren, where he also served as Deputy Chief Prosecutor.

Prior to joining the prosecution service, Gashi worked for the Kosovo Police at the Prizren Police Station until 2010, including as Head of the Economic Crime and Corruption Department.

Upon taking office yesterday, Gashi stated that he would be "the prosecutor for everyone" and that, together with his colleagues, he would work to strengthen the rule of law.

Asked by journalists whether he owed his appointment to the Self-Determination Movement (Vetëvendosje), he declined to answer.

Gashi was appointed Chief State Prosecutor by Acting President of Kosovo Albulena Haxhiu, upon the proposal of the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council, where his nomination received five votes in favor.

Albanian-language media, commenting on Gashi's appointment, recalled an incident that occurred while Albulena Haxhiu was serving as Minister of Justice and Gashi was Chief Prosecutor in Pristina. On that occasion, Gashi reportedly went unannounced to Haxhiu's office to explain an investigation he was leading into corruption allegations involving the former head of the Secretariat of the Kosovo Prosecutorial Council, Ljavdim Krasniqi. Krasniqi comes from the same town as Alban Krasniqi, Haxhiu's husband. According to Haxhiu's statement to the police at the time, she had not invited Gashi to her office, while Gashi reportedly explained that the case he was investigating had no political background.

Presenting Gashi with his appointment decree on Tuesday, Haxhiu stated that the office of Chief State Prosecutor is one of the key pillars of the rule of law and the protection of the constitutional order. She emphasized that the prosecution must provide a firm response in the fight against organized crime, corruption, war crimes, rape, and all other forms of criminal activity.

In March this year, while serving as Chief Prosecutor of the Basic Prosecution Office in Pristina, Gashi was seen in the company of politicians at the Slovakia–Kosovo football match held in Bratislava.

According to a photograph published by Pristina Mayor Përparim Rama, Gashi was seated in the stands alongside Deputy Prime Minister Glauk Konjufca, Guxo party leader and Mayor of South Mitrovica Faton Peci, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Blerim Gashi, Glogovac Mayor Ramiz Lladrovci, and Përparim Rama.

Following Gashi's appointment as Kosovo's Chief State Prosecutor, the British Embassy in Kosovo described it as an important step after several years during which the position had remained vacant. The Embassy emphasized the importance of strengthening Kosovo's prosecution system and expressed its expectation that it would perform its duties effectively and efficiently, reinforce the rule of law, and contribute to the fight against organized crime and corruption for the benefit of all citizens.

The European Union Office in Kosovo also welcomed Gashi's appointment, stating yesterday that his mandate would focus on ensuring integrity and accountability within the prosecution service, as well as combating high-level corruption and organized crime.

Kosovo has been without a Chief State Prosecutor since 2022, when the mandate of Aleksandër Lumezi expired.