Ricalo reasons for suspension of Agency for Agriculture Development

The outcome of Elhami Hajdari from the position of chief head of the Agency for Agriculture Development as good news for Kosovo farmers has been presented by Agriculture Minister Nenad Rikalo.

The minister's statement came in response to the scriptures that Hajdari's suspension took place after the latter had disobeyed to illegally hand over the second half of the grant to a company from Prizren, co-operating with a business represented by the minister's wife, Biljana Ricalo.

After many complaints and indictments, which have been addressed by farmers against the work of this Agency, as well as confirmation by the prosecution that has been filed against him, I have made a decision to suspend Mr. Heidi. The reason for this decision relates to the issue of corruption. I cannot tolerate continuing in this way to destroy the image of the Ministry of Agriculture. The gentleman in question, for a long time, is under investigation by police and Prosecution, and from this position, as Agency Director, he cannot exert pressure on investigative processes”, Rikalo said.

But his claims have been rejected by the Prosecution, who say Hajdari was investigated in a case that had nothing to do with corruption and that he was closed in lack of evidence.

“Elham Hajdari, was initially investigated because of the reasonable suspicion that the defendant has committed criminal acts by Article 185 paragraph 1 of the KPRC. The prosecution, following the analysis of criminal conglomerates and other documents, has made the decision to drop investigations against defendants Elhami Hajdari, because in concrete cases from all managed trials, it has found no evidence that the same has carried out the criminal work for which” has been charged, said Ekrem Lutfiu, the State Prosecutor's spokesman.

The suspension decision, in the timely statement, he had linked the non-support for the company “Extra Frut Filings”, which had agreements with “Concept PROCH, represented by Biljana Ricalo, wife of Minister Nenad Ricalo.

The government's spokeswoman, Donjet Gashi, has confirmed that on Thursday the request of Minister Ricalo in the government has arrived for the establishment of a disciplinary commission in the Hajdari case, expected to be addressed in the coming days.

Otherwise, criticism of the work of chief head of the Agency for Agriculture Development, by the end of last year had addressed Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj.