Corruption s'u stops even during the pandemic... dozens of criminal charges were sent to the AKK

Officials from the Agency told Radio Free Europe that accepted information has to do with allegations of corruption, conflict of interest, false claims of property, misuse of official position, as well as other cases concerning allegations of corruption of public procurement.

The director of the Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency, Shaip Havolli, in a conversation for Radio Free Europe, shows they are handling all information.

During this time we have prosecuted more than dozens of criminal charges for allegedly misusing official duty, for false statements and non-recognition of property and other areas of conflict of interest and other issues related to the mandate of the agency”, Havol said.

Havolly said this agency, during this time, has given over 10 opinions allegedly violated the Public Procure Law. He said several cases are being addressed in terms of investigations.

I can also say that during this time the agency has been practicing dozens of cases of criminal charges and has sent to the prosecutor possible allegations of corruption and false claims of property”, Havoli said, among other things.

The agency is also handling several cases for which it has not been able to provide much detail, as they are in the initial phase of treatment.

We've had a lot of information about the Ministry of Health, about procurement activities. As you know it has been an emergency situation and many products have been bought in various forms”, he said.

Civic society representatives have sometimes expressed doubts about the spread of corruption even during the time of pandemic.

Arton Demhay from the Organisation for Democracy, Anti-Corruption and Dinjitity Get up, points out that in a situation where public administration is not working and where the number of staff workers has been reduced, the access to abuse has been huge.

“in such a situation are likely to have many corruption and misuse cases, as in the aspect of the public procurement process or other opportunities, so this case could be”, Demhaja said.

He, in a proposal for Radio Free Europe, said there are doubts that some institutions, the pandemic period, have also used for illegal benefits.

The organisation Arise, says Demhayan, has failed to monitor institutions during these months, but according to him, citizens have encountered incorrigibly.

The “has been talked about some problematic tenders with price misuse, but I see it as possible that corruption could have occurred at this time”, Demhasaj said.

Radio Free Europe has tried to get an answer from Special Prosecution and other prosecutors regarding the criminal charges the Agency has handed over to the prosecution, but neither those nor media offices have answered questions.

Demhasaj says that even failure to function the justice system at full capacity makes the alleged corruption cases not prosecuted on time.

“The justice system, both courts and prosecutors, should also begin to address these allegations of corruption cases -- that is, the news that they are, but also to deal with other cases they have had”, Demehay said.

Political appointments in Kosovo, the phenomenon of nepotism and corruption, continue to distract institutions and in general society, reports of international and local organisations say.

According to the organisation's report, Transparency International for 2019, where the Corruption Perceptions Index is presented, Kosovo has noted the reggression to the fight against corruption.