What led to the prison, Nagip Krasniqi, “The close companion of Kurti”

The suspended head of the Kosovo Energy Corporation, Nagip Krasniqi, is in custody for nearly three months. He was arrested on April 19th, on the orders of the Special Prosecutor, as suspected of three criminal acts: Misuse of official position or authority, exercise of influence and conflict of interest.

A day later, Pristina's Constitutional Court assigned the same measure of detention for a month at the request of the prosecution.

On May 19th, Krasniqi has continued his detention for even two months. That measure ends in about two weeks.

The Special Prosecutor has answered Gazeta Express's questions if there is expected to be an act on him soon, or if there is any news about the case.

It was his lawyer, Virtue Ibrahimaga, who said there were no new developments. Ibrahimaga has also spoken of treatment being taken to him at the Preburg Centre

We don't have any new developments for momet. Treating officials at the Correcting Service”, Ibrahimaga said February for Express.

After the arrest, Nagip Krasniqi has been suspended from KEK's chief's position by the board of this public enterprise.

“Nagip Krasniqi, close friend of Kurti”.

Democratic Party of Kosovo Chairman Memli Krasniqi has mentioned last night Krasniqi's arrest, which he called the Kourti's “narrow”.

“Kurti has won the mandate to choose the troubles of Kosovo citizens, as are the arrest of the corrupt. Who's in jail today? Except for Albin Kurti's close friend, Nagip Krasniqi, who is Albin Kurti's leading man of energy. He is a prisoner for corruption, while Kurti calls him a good man”, Krasniqi said in Pressing T7.

When it was discussed in the Assembly in this case, Prime Minister Albin Kurti had said that “Krasnici brought to KEKA 107m euros in 2022“, counting as managerial success and using it as a “defense argument” against it.

We know there's been a lot of chief chiefs in KEK in the past and mindless abuses, but they were never investigated by the prosecution. The prosecution is diligent in this case, when KEK's profit in 2022 was 107m euros. The zeal of the prosecution to deal with deposit, and facts, and evidence of previous abuses is zero, while the zeal to deal with the chief who brought 107m euros in profit was maximum”, Kurti said.

Kurti had also hit Chief Special Prosecutor Blerim Isufajn, saying the state prosecutor is acting against his government.

“I have no doubt that there is a negative political mood in the State Prosecutor's Office towards our government, to the new power emerging from the February elections. This is related to more than anyone else to the picture of Blerim Isufaj. It's about a prosecutor who is well-known that Dino Asanj's murder case classified him to suicide, and Hamdi Sopa's suicide turned him into murder. It is known as the chief prosecutor that no case is won in court, and that this prosecutor will become chief prosecutor, despite the will of the president, the prime minister and the prime minister,”, Kurti has stated.

What did Krasniqi end up in prison for?

From the day of his arrest to this day, many reports about contracts that Krasniqi may have taken to prison were circulated through the media, which was suspended from chief office two days ago. But confirmation by the Special Prosecutor's Office still exists.

Initially, it was reported that the contract Krasniqi was arrested for is the one for emergency repair of the A-5 bloc's Kalada of the Kosova A thermal power plant, worth 3.4m euros.

The contract for this tender, which was granted under negotiated procedure, was signed on January 27th this year.

The restoration of this link was entrusted to the group of economic operators “Litin SA; Bujar B. Shala B. I”

“Demonisation jobs, cleaning and creating conditions for work, reviewing the pipe system and damaged equipment, and those under suspicion of damage, issuing specific equipment, assembly of new equipment, Sancing damaged equipment, Examing according to standards for welding in the 10%-by-ray, radiographing Commission, which means going back to work, and executing the bloc's operational tenders and handover of security papers to the report, were going to be done by this group of economics.

But, the Kosovo Energy Corporation reacted to these reports, calling them untrue.

Through a Facebook response, KEK said this contract was terminated on March 20th and that no payments have been realised in favour of the operator.

“Contrata for “The emergency recovery of the furnace in A5” Block, was signed at the end of January of this year, but the same was interrupted by dt. 20.03. 2023 after the economic operator failed to meet contract terms under the signed contract (submitting financial guarantees for execution of jobs). Therefore, it is more important to note that KEK has had no financial spending, since no payments have been realised in favour of the operator”, the KEK response said.

Even though KEK denied it, it was Krasniqi's lawyer, Virtue Ibrahimaga, who has confirmed that his client is suspected of misusing official office for this very contract.

The criminal acts that Nagip Krasniqi was charged with allegedly using the official task for benefit to himself or anyone else. The prosecution-based doubt is the existence of contract with the Swiss Company to repair the furnace for the A5 block. This contract has been cut by 20.03.23 by Nagip Krasniqi himself. No payment was made. The prosecution is aware of this detail. No one has benefited. KEK has followed nothing. As a result of this case, I cannot exist criminal acts”, Ibrahimaga wrote on Facebook.