GAP: Monopoli in car counterparts and pardoning debts to water bottlers

Nora Latifi - Yasar from the GAP Institute, has said these two decisions have been taken contrary to the laws in power and according to it, except that they should be revoted and investigated by competent organs.

These were said at a “Anti-Corruption Week conference”, which has started today and will last until December 9th.

“These two decisions have damaged competition, bypassed the Kosovo Assembly and favoured only a category of private businesses at the expense of citizens' overall interest. Both of these decisions have been taken contrary to the laws in force, so except they have to be revoted they should also be investigated by competent bodies”, she said, the KP reported.

While, Berat Thaqi from the GAP Institute said the monopoly in car counterparts dates back to late 2008, where the Ministry of Transport and Post-Telecommunications has signed an exclusive contract with the company “Eurolab” for the counterpart of cars registered for the first time in Kosovo.

Thaci said that if they compare the prices of counterparts in Kosovo with the countries of the region and those of the EU, it turns out Kosovars from 2009 to 2015 have spent 2.4m euros more than they would spend if there were no monopoly and the price would be similar to the countries in the region.

“The company “Europalab” except that you are obliged to conduct the first technical control at this company and that specificity of the administrative crash is contrary to the consumer protection law, because it is described as aggressive trade practice and denies the freedom of selecting consumers. In addition, the company “Eurolab” also oversees other technical control companies -- that is, in addition to providing technical control service, it also oversees other technical control companies, which we think constitutes a clear conflict of interest. So besides giving up monopoly which is contrary to the law in force there are some other irregularities in providing this contract, irregularities that conflict with the consumer protection law and also have conflicts of interest”, he said.

The “Jeva Anti-Corruption” organised by the coalition of nongovernmental organisations has started today and will last until December 9th, where there will be different activities during this week.

Thus, from the Coalition of Nongovernmental Organisations (OJQ) “Java Against Corruption 2017”, Betim Musliu, has indicated that during this week all organisations of this coalition will have activities aimed at sensiliating acts and the public regarding the fight against corruption.

Musliu disclosed that this year within the framework of this week, in addition to discussing topics in various sectors, specific cases will be discussed.

So, we've decided that as organizations in various sectors we develop separate research and prepare reports that will be made public every day and tomorrow they will be discussed at roundtables with acts of responsible institutions, with civil society representatives, and with all these activities the representatives of the American Embassy will be present. We will have innovation because we will have concrete cases in which concrete responsibilities will be required from individuals who have not scored results in the area of fighting corruption, and also have not held all those who have committed violations of the law” responsible, he said.

Part of the coalition of nongovernmental organisations “The anti-corruption week” is the Kosovo Institute for Justice (IKD), the Group for Jury and Political Studies (GLPS), the GAP Institute, the Progress Initiative (INPO), the Prey Organisation, the KIPRED Institute and the Columbus Institute.

Also, the NGO coalition “Java Anti-Corruption 2017” will present today the documentary titled “Week Against Corruption 2016”