Donika Gervala gave over 350 thousand euros for two companies to do the same job

Avni Mustafaj é owner of the Ambal LLC company and Aferdita Rakipi ? owner of the company Aferdita Rakipi Communications were personally contracted, with a total of 147 thousand euros, according to contracts published on the Foreign Agents Recording site (FARA) of the US Department of Justice.

However, from February to late July of this year, they have worked as if they were a single company. Of the 13 contacts reported by Mustafaj, all are identical to those reported by Rakipi.

In addition, Rakipi reported two additional contacts a meeting on March 11th and a May 24th meeting.

Radio Free Europe has contacted Rakipi and Mustafaj about their activities, but there is no response from anyone to publishing this article.

They have not even responded in the past, when REL has reported on their expenses at restaurants and hotels in Kosovo and their contracting from MPJD, despite lack of experience in lobby.

Mustafaj and Rakipi have been contracted by the US MPJD for lobbies on June 26th last year. Their one-year contracts have already expired. REL has asked The MPJD if their contracts were continued, but no response.

In July of last year, MPJD has said it does not comment on lobby contracts “for reasons understandable”.

However, contracts, details related to the work done, and the spending of U.S. lobbyists are published on the FHARE website every six months.

According to these documents, the MPJD paid the Rakipi companies and Mustafajt for a total of $3351.8 thousand including additional expenses, in addition to the previous sum in the initial contracts.

In the second quarter of their U.S. lobby, Rakipi and Mustafaj contacted American politicians mainly through email.

However, documents show that even during the time they have lobbied through e - mail, they have reported flights and hotel stays.

Unlike the first six months, when Rakipi and Mustafaj had reported numerous expenses for lunch and work dinners including in restaurants in Pristina this time they did not report food expenses.

They spent thousands of dollars on flights, hotels and taxi transport. From the documents published at FARA it becomes clear that Mustafaj has again spent money during his stay in Kosovo.

Neither Mustafaj nor MPJD have answered REL questions about how these activities have served in Kosovo, given that lobbie contracts provide advice and representation of MPJD “within the United States”.

Apart from spending, dates and contacts, in FARA documents, Rakipi and Mustafaj specify the goals of their meetings.

While many of them have been reported merely as discussions on relations between Kosovo and the US and current events, in some cases they have voiced criticism over the positions of US political representatives.

The “is stressed that Kosovo's punishment for its security measures undermines its governance, weakens its negotiating position with Serbia, and jeopardises its Euro-Atlantic aspirations. A call for US support to Kosovo as key ally, instead of public criticism and economic restrictions”, it is said among other things in Rakipi and Mustafaj documents.

Similar positions have been expressed by members of the Kosovo government, led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, against US and EU criticism of various shares in Kosovo's predominantly Serb populated north.

The lobbi deals were signed at just a time of tension in this part of Kosovo, when local Serb residents were protesting Albanian mayors.

Who are Venus Rakipi and Avni Mustafaj?

Ten years ago, Rakipi, born in Michigen, U.S.A., was labeled by Gervala to a reading challenge through a post in her Facebook account.

Mustafaj, born in New York, U.S.A., has been a key person at the Albanian-American National Council (NAAC), as well as a member of the Germin organisation in Kosovo, which deals mainly with diaspora issues.

Mustafaj still figures as a board member in Germin, an organisation where co-founder was Lisa Gashi, now deputy minister of foreign affairs and Diasporas.

According to Germin's description, Mustafaj has led US delegations of congressmen to negotiations on the Kosovo issue in Rambouillet, France, in 1999. Rakipi also attended, which was also part of the NAAC.

In March 1999, the two attended a meeting with then US President Bill Clinton at the White House.

In 2012, Mustafaj, as the executive director of the NAAC, has also met with then-Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.

Kosovo has also had lobbi contracts in the past. Since 1992, political parties and government institutions have spent millions of euros on lobby in the US.

In most cases, however, lobbied lobbies have been known American lobbie companies, such as Podesta Group and Ballard Partners.

Note: The correct value may change after some deals have been cut off before they expire. Also missing on the list are a number of contracts with people paid according to immediate fees. The appointment of the contracting authorities is made in line with the labels on the FARH site, and the date of the agreement is the date when it is published on this site.

In most cases, however, lobbied lobbies have been known American lobbie companies, such as Podesta Group and Ballard Partners. / REL