Former KEK chief chief declared innocent, accused of misusing over $3 million

Former KEK chief chief Nagip Krasniqi, accused of misusing KEK's damaging duties worth about 3m and 230 thousand euros on Tuesday, says the Online Economy. He has been declared completely innocent at all points of the indictment.

The statement about guilt, Krasniqi did it after reading the indictment by special prosecutor Dren Paca. “partly innocent”, Krasniqi said.

The chairman of the court, Arben Hoti, said the accused and his defender in the 30-day term have the right to present opposition to evidence and request to cast the indictment.

Initially, prosecutor Paca said they have delivered some more evidence which they have not been to the indictment and have handed over to the defence.

Krasniqi's defender, Vyrtyt Ibrahimaga, said the prosecution did not hand over the decision to launch the investigation, which is obliged to hand over all of the paperwork.

“Procuroria has not yet submitted contracts for the Albanian-language electricity trade, this evidence is the basis on which the indictment is based... this evidence has not yet been translated into Albanian for the defendant and for the (4)x1> tribunal, Ibrahimaga said.

So he proposed to the court to impose the prosecution on them in the 10-day term to hand over the decision to start investigations and contracts for the trade of electricity in Albanian so that the defendant's defence can be declared.

Judge Hoti, following the defendant's statement, charged the prosecution with providing 15-day evidence required of the defence in the term.

However, prosecutor Paca said they will respect the deadline, although the defendant has signed the contracts in English and understood them.

The Special Prosecutor has filed an indictment on 19 August this year against former head of the Kosovo Energy Corporation Nagip Krasniqi for the criminal act of misuse of official office or authority. He is accused of having begun to misuse office from 15,10,2021 to 19,04,2023.

The indictment reportedly enabled the energy trade to a Slovenian company in Kosovo, which had no license, thus damaging KEK to an estimated 3m and 230 thousand euros, enabling the company from Slovenia to trade electricity in the Republic of Kosovo.

Krasniqi had enabled energy trading to a Slovenian company in Kosovo, which had no license, thus damaging KEK to an estimated 3m and 230 thousand euros.

“. So that they deliberately approved purchases, signed contracts and authorized their signature, and confirms continuing to trade with the operator in question, even though he was aware that electricity could not be traded with this operator until it was licensed or recognized by the Energy Regulatory Office” .

According to the indictment, these actions enabled the company from Slovenia “Holding Sloveneske Electrice” HSE electricity trading in the Republic of Kosovo,

Among other things, the finding points out that the same benefits are allowed, as well as avoiding tax payments, damaging Kosovo's state budget worth 531,920.79 euros.

“.. and resulting in large-scale damage to the Republic of Kosovo budget, or worth 531.920.79 Euro, damage or discrimination of other competitive economic operators operating on the Kosovo market, which were licensed and subject to tax obligations as causing material damage to the Kosovo Energy Corporation on a large scale or worth 3,229,90500 Euro<18x1> follows further.

Nagip Krasniqi was arrested in 19.04.23 under suspicion of misuse of office, influence exercise and conflict of interest.

Krasniqi had remained in custody since 20,04,23, but was released five months later, with 15.09,203. Krasniqi's arrest was carried out at the order of the Special Prosecutor of the Republic of Kosovo.

The report said that the Special Investigation Unit has raided the office of defendant Nagip Krasniqi in Pristina, two residences in separate Pristina locations owned and exploited by the same, with the aim of finding evidence that concerns high-profile criminal acts.

In applying for the detention measure of April 2023, Naguip Krasniqi has allegedly misused his official position in the quality of KEK's executive chief.

According to the Prosecutor's File, Krasniqi had on January 26th 2023 linked harmful contracts contrary to the Public Procurement Law by violating Article 7, Article 35 par.3, Article 35 pars. 2.1çiti), and Article 57 par.2 of this Law, so that by acting with the tender KEK-23-130-5, named as “The emergency capital resolution of the A5<x1 bloc, under procedure negotiated without the publication of the contract announcement, has contracted contract with the Litin SA company, at the price of 3,495,392 euros, changing the particular terms of the contract.