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Abuses of IPARD/ How did 33 million lek become 33 million euros?

2023-11-23 16:24:00, Aktualitet CNA

Abuses of IPARD/ How did 33 million lek become 33 million euros?

Journalist Klodian Tomorri has shown the "blunder" made by AZHBR and the European Commission regarding irregularities with IPARD funds.

The journalist stated that as he came across a document of the European Commission on abuses of EU funds, in the report dated July 27 it was said that in Albania the irregularities with the funds were 33.5 million euros, while in other countries these figures ranged from 50 thousand to in 350 thousand euros. 

Tomorri goes on to show that according to the data, the IPARD program has distributed a total of 71 million euros for all years, and the 33 million euro figure is almost half of the total fund.

Beyond that, the report had a paragraph, which underlined that out of 33 million euros of irregularities, 31 million euros came from only 4 cases.

After that, the journalist discovers that he has made an official request for information to the EU office in Tirana, and in the reply he received very late, he was given a pearl answer that the course was messed up.

According to them, the number of irregularities was 33.5 million ALL or 256 thousand euros at the exchange rate when they were disbursed and not 33.5 million euros.

The full statement of journalist Klodian Tomorri.

A week ago, I accidentally came across a document from the European Commission on abuses of EU funds in aspiring countries. The report was dated July 27 and it stated that in Albania the irregularities with IPARD funds were 33.5 million euros, while in other countries the figure varied from 50 thousand to 350 thousand euros. 

According to official data, the IPARD program has distributed a total of 71 million euros for all years in Albania. The figure of 33 million euros that the Commission wrote in the statistical report as an irregularity comprised almost half of the total funds given from the beginning of IPARD until today.

Beyond this, there was a paragraph in the report, which underlined that out of 33 million euros of irregularities, 31 million euros came from only 4 cases. This was the point that made me doubt, because Ipard grants are generally under 1 million euros and in 4 cases there was no way to do 31 million euros.

To remove doubts, a few days ago I started an official request for information to the EU office in Tirana. But the answer was delayed more than usual. When I reminded them, they said wait, we are waiting for the approval from Brussels. 

After the issue made noise today in Albania because it was published by the media and then the opposition came out, they rushed to give me the answer at the end. It's a gem of an answer.

We have confused the lek with the euro, they say in the answer. The number of irregularities is 33.5 million lek or 256 thousand euros at the exchange rate when they were disbursed and not 33.5 million euros. Also, this figure is not related to Olaf's investigation - they say - as the report was made before the investigation was closed.

Initially, the mistake was made by AZHBR, which reported 33 million in the table, when the column was euros, and then the European Commission took this figure as a template and inserted it into the report.

Pearl watch pearl./ CNA





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