Ex-Kosovo minister pleads not guilty to corruption charges

(PRISTINA) - Kosovo's former transport minister on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to charges of involvement in organised crime and corruption that cost the state budget of two million euros ($2.6 million).

"I declare myself not guilty to all counts of the indictment," Fatmir Limaj told the Pristina court.

Limaj and six other defendants went on trial Monday on charges of manipulating tender procedures, giving and receiving bribes and tampering with evidence in three tenders held by the transport and telecommunications ministry.

European prosecutor Johannes Pickert said at the opening of the trial that, between 2008 and 2010, Limaj led an organised criminal group that awarded public tenders to companies willing to pay bribes.

All of the other defendants -- which include Limaj's two brothers, three low-ranking officials from his former ministry and a businessman -- also pleaded not guilty Wednesday.

Limaj has been under investigation since April 2010 when European police raided his ministry and properties in Pristina as part of a corruption probe.

As a former high-ranking member of the ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) of prime minister Hashim Thaci, Limaj is also charged with not declaring campaign money received when running for Pristina's mayoral elections in 2007.

Limaj was a commander in the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) that fought the security forces loyal to then Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic during the 1998-1999 conflict.

In 2003, he was charged for war crimes by The Hague-based UN Tribunal, but the international court acquitted him after a trial that lasted four years.

But a local court in Kosovo is expected to open a trial against him next week on alleged war crimes committed during the conflict between pro-independence ethnic Albanian guerrillas and Belgrade security forces.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Shortly afterwards, the European Union launched its biggest civilian mission ever to help local authorities in strengthening the rule of law.