Xhelal Svecla found guilty for 2018 Assembly tear gas incident

The Basic Court in Pristina has found Kosovo's acting Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Svecla, guilty of the criminal offense of “use of weapons or dangerous devices.” The ruling pertains to an incident on March 21, 2018, during an extraordinary session of the Kosovo Assembly regarding the ratification of a border demarcation agreement with Montenegro.

According to the prosecution, Svecla activated and threw a tear gas canister into the assembly hall without warning, preventing those present from leaving the room. While found guilty of using a dangerous device, the court dismissed the charge of “obstructing an official in the performance of official duties” due to the statute of limitations.

Judge Sabit Sadikaj stated that the decision regarding the specific penalty will be announced following a hearing scheduled for September 8, 2026, where mitigating and aggravating circumstances will be presented. Svecla has previously maintained that his actions were political in nature, intended to prevent the transfer of land to Montenegro.