Suspected “student K RISTAL” who took the trust of 59 deputies to lead ARH

Arsim Berisha, the chairman of the Railways Regulatory Authority board, is one of many who owns a suspicious university degree “Crystal” in Albania. A few years ago this university was closed because of the trade in academic titles. Many graduates there have problems hiring in high public positions.

But the negative image of “Christian” has not adversely affected Berisha's career. The opposite happened. It's advanced.

On 28 October of last year, Berisha has received support from parliamentary majority that was led by the coalition P DK-LDK. Insander has discovered that the government and parliamentarians in October 2016 were aware that Berisha's diploma received at “Kristal” was invalid. They were aware that it was not nominated by the Ministry of Education in Kosovo.

Despite the suspicious degree, the government led by Isa Mustafa and Kadri Wessel-led Assembly had chosen to proceed with the appointment of Berisha at the helm of the Railways Regulatory Authority board. By the time it was appointed to this top post, Berisha was an official of the LDK branch in Klin. The “Kristal” University in Albania is closed in August 2014. He's become famous for his diploma trade scandal. The exploits of “Cristal” had even puzzled the media in Italy. Renzi Bossi, son of a former party leader in Italy, had graduated from “Crystal”. He had not known a word of Albanian and had never stepped on Albanian territory.

Documents cast suspicion of buying Berisha diploma

Insander has secured the file of Arsim Berisha, which has been reviewed by the parliamentary Commission for Economic Development. The documents show that Berisha had handed over his diploma received at “Crystal”, the university closed due to the trade in academic titles. Notes on his first-level bachelor degree show that Berisha graduated on July 20th 2009.

At the time of graduation at the first level of studies at “Crystal”, Berisha was 42.

Also, another document submitted for review by Berisha casts more doubts about his regular graduation. In his CV, delivered to the parliamentary commission, notes that Berisha has been employed in the railway sector in Italy, F.E.R.V.E.T.S., respectively. S.p.a from 2001 to 2009.

Insander has asked Berisha how he managed to be employed in Italy at the same time and to attend studies at “Crystal” University. Berisha has not answered that question. Insander has also asked Berisha for his uncontested degree by the Ministry of Education.

Arsim Berisha, second in the photograph (left wing), following a meeting of representatives of the ARH board with former Prime Minister Isa Mustafa

I respectfully guide you to address the Economic Development Commission. Also, as for my degree and country the institution where I studied, in case you are interested in knowing more, please contact any institution that offers accurate and objective information on this matter”, Berisha has declared.

The board's chairman of the Railways Regulatory Authority has been told that the Ministry of Education has confirmed to Insider that his diploma has not been nominated. Berisha has not commented further. The Ministry of Education, in response to Insider, has stated that Berisha has never filed a request for the nostification of his diploma.

“According to centre database NARIC, Mr. Africa Sylejman Berisha, has not applied for recognition/ample of the diploma won at the “Kristal” University in Albania. The National Centre for Academy Information and Recognition (NARIC) has not accepted any requests from the Assembly of Kosovo, in connection with the above-mentioned case”, has told Isederim, Valmir Gashi political adviser to Education Minister Fatmir Bytyci.

Similarly, Gashi has declared that all Kosovo citizens are obliged to seek recognition and equal value of diplomas and higher education qualifications won outside Kosovo.

MPs were notified of Berisha's graduation at suspicious university 

Arsim Berisha and the other three members proposed by the government for members of the ARH board were approved by majority on October 28, 2016. Their appointment was made by 59 votes, 1 abstention and 9 votes against.

But before the names were sent for approval, the passport of candidates was discussed by the parliamentary Commission for Economic Development. This commission was headed last year by Muhamet Mustafa, who was LDK deputy. Part of the commission was Besim Beqaj, then MP PDK. Beqaj had raised doubts about Arsim Berisha's degree of nominated board chairmanship. To board the ARH, nominated was Adem Grabovci's personal assistant, Shkumbin Hyseni. That is why Beqaj had raised doubts about the LDK's proposed board chairmanship.

Based on the committee's meeting procession held on September 27, 2016, Besim Beqaj had raised remarks to candidate Arsim Berisha.

“As far as the qualifications are concerned, it has a degree from the University of Crystal from Albania, of which the university is very suspicious. We have many certificates in Italian that he's presented as his special master. We know there's no seminar that gives the master's title, it's a master's study. Italian is also not an official language. So we shouldn't take that much on the basis because we haven't understood it because regulations are said that documents should be in official”, Beqaj had announced at the meeting of this commission. Then Commission Chairman Muhamet Mustafa had postponed the vote for the next meeting.

The meeting was held on October 4 of last year. Beqaj had proposed that the commission receive information about whether it is mandatory to graduate from Albania to be nostified in Kosovo, before the names of the nominated are sent to parliament for a vote, “I have consulted and on the basis of talks I made with the ministry, nominated is required, but we must write clearly in the report that Government inform us in writing” Beqaj had declared.

The parliamentary commission had pledged to make verification of this issue. That pledge was cited by former commission chairman Muhamet Mustafa in the letter he had handed over to the Kosovo Parliament's Headship.

“In question, there was a request to verify the fact that university diplomas from Albania's educational institutions should be nostified. The commission concluded that this issue will be clarified until the collection of the” Assembly, said in Mustafa's letter, handed over the Parliament's leadership.

But MPs who were members of this commission had never asked for clarification on the issue. The Kosovo Assembly Secretariat has confirmed to Insider that no evidence has ever been requested for the no-virtification of Education Berisha's diploma.

“Based on subject paperwork, the Commission has not requested testimony to Diploma's nomination for one of the proposed candidates for ARH Board members, despite the validations in the Commission's recommendation argument, dated 4. 10. 2016”, says the response of the directorate for the media and relations with the Kosovo Assembly public.