Arben Vitita refuses to answer how much money she receives as manager at Olive Lab

The first suspicions are that the employment of the Year as manager at that private institution conflicts with the law.

On this matter, MP PDK, Bekim Haxhiu, today in the Kosovo Assembly, said former Prime Minister Arben Vitita has been employed in the “Olive” laboratory with a large salary of 5,000 euros. Haxhiu has raised his concern that the new position of the former minister's work may be a conflict of interest.

“Are you aware that this action of Arben Vitit as former Health Minister is a conflict of interest, since “Olive” has been licensed by MSH for PCR tests?”, has been addressed to current Health Minister Rifat Latifi.

To these statements, a few hours after the Parliament, has been warned by former Health Minister Arben Vitita, where he called Hadzi's statements biased, yet refused to answer his salary as the manager of this laboratory.

“... at which time the laboratory was licensed even when it started working on what test the license is for. So, by the way, I have no comment. I have no reaction, I haven't responded to Mr. Haxhiu. It's untrue and biased”, Vitia is saying, talking about Kanal10.

We remember that, according to “Object to prevent conflict of interest”, the top public official has been barred from hiring for a period of up to two years after the end of public office, in leadership or management positions, in public and private institutions and their subordinate institutions that have business relations with the institution in which he has exercised public office, whether his duties during the two-year period before the completion of the public office's exercise have been directly related to oversight, control or sanction of their activity.

On Tuesday 24 May, Periscope has sent questions to the Anti-Corruption Agency -- AKK, regarding whether a minister who left his job in the ministry a few months ago could be employed at a private company - the same industry with what he did until a few months ago at the ministry... The AKK has not returned answers so far.

We remember that the lab “Olive” was licensed for PCR tests by the Health Ministry at the time the minister was Arbe Vitita.

This issue has been laid out today in the Kosovo Assembly by deputy PDK, Bekim Haxhiu, who has sought to know whether the former minister's employment constitutes conflict of interest.

Health Minister Rifat Latifi appeared in the speaker and defended former minister of Albin Kurti.

It's obvious that this question is out of my context to answer. If it's a violation of the Law, the corresponding organs will handle it. But every citizen has the right to work where he wants, whether in the private sector or in public, Latifi said.

What the law says

No. 06/L -011 for the prevention of conflict of interest in the exercise of public office, Pope IV speaks of restrictions following public duty.

Article 18 High Official Restrictions After Finishing Public Task

1. High office not right: 1.1. to be employed or appointed, for a period of up to two (2) years after the end of public office, in leadership or management positions, or to be included in control or auditing of public and private institutions and their subordinate institutions that have business dealings with the institution where it has exercised public office, whether its duties during the two-year period before the end of the exercise of public office have been directly linked to oversight, control or sanction of their activity;

1.2. to be involved in contractual relations, directly or through someone close or trusted, with the institution where it has exercised public office for a period of up to two (2) years after the end of the public function;

1.3. to represent, assist, or advise any physical or legal person, directly or through someone close to or trusted, in a conflict or business relationship with the institution, in the task he has performed, or in the course of it over a period of up to two (2) years after the end of public function; and

1.4. use the privileged or confidential information provided during the exercise of public office for purposes and other employment in the future for its own private interest or a relative or trusted over a period of up to two (2) years after the end of public office.

The institution in which the top official has exercised public office cannot do business until one year from completing the public post with the subject in which the former official, the close person with him or the trusted person has a share of no less than five percent (5%) in the rights of founders, management or capital, as with direct participation or participation of other legal persons.

“Olive” is one of the largest labs in Kosovo that has flourished during the COVID-19 pandemic period, when much of the health minister was Arben Vitita, respectively, during the government's mandate “Kurti1x3> and “Curti 2”. Vitia had resigned from the position of Health Minister in last autumn when she joined the VV candidate for Pristina chairman. /Periscopi/