Fiks Fare/ Former deputies, former mayors, former directors received millions of euros from agricultural funds with IPARD!

2023-12-27 21:21:42, Denoncim CNA

Fiks Fare/ Former deputies, former mayors, former directors received millions of

Fiks Fare followed on Wednesday evening the denunciations about the abuses of agricultural funds, where millions of euros went into the hands of politicians and big companies.

A day after a consultant showed in voice and image the whole scheme of how big businesses had to cheat in order to benefit from these funds, Fiksi stopped at the lists and businesses that have benefited from IPARD II.

The research showed that the AZHBR funds, which are for rural agricultural development, were given selectively. Some entities have benefited and others have not! The Fix group traveled to the village of Tërfuf in Lushnje, where an entity that had received funding was building a modern greenhouse. Meanwhile, his neighbor a few meters away continued with the primitively built greenhouse years ago. The camera of the investigative show also went to a farm, which has applied for the tractor and warehouse support scheme.

"I didn't benefit because they closed the call, they say. I have 1500 chickens and 300 sheep and 200. They gave me sheep and oil, I was looking for a tractor and barn extension. It makes my job easier," he said. He further claimed that he has been dealing with sheep and livestock for 25 years. "I received some small schemes, and those of IPARD, we filled out some documents but they didn't give us" he adds, while he still has hope. "Maybe we will give it to us, we are hopeful " - he concludes.

Another resident claims that " the peasant has always been the most damaged layer, the merchant gets half and we only get a quarter". "They also put in the mold because the tall one told us to plant wheat. Planted from 40 hectares and remained in plots. Some companies receive EU money from these, but we are citizens! Only those who have had, those who have invested a lot of money, get it. We are barefoot, here are my boots" - he concludes, as he also shows the tools for grinding corn for chickens and sheep, which are primitive mills.

The Fiks Fare group went to Dimal, one of the areas that has large areas of greenhouses. Even there, the change is visible, where individuals and people who have benefited from funds have built modern greenhouses. Others continue to use the greenhouses they have built for years!

Fiks Fare/ Former deputies, former mayors, former directors received millions of

Fiks Fare has done a research of all the lists published by the AZHBR. On the list are large entities, which have been in the agricultural and livestock sector for years, while ordinary people, or rather ordinary farmers, are missing. Journalists went to some of these firms that have benefited from funding. Initially in Maminas, Shijak, at "Kronos" agrotourism. The firm has received an amount of 961 thousand euros from AZHBR. It has erected several greenhouses, while a bar-restaurant or even a hotel has been built alongside the greenhouses. The firm "Kronos" is one of the biggest beneficiaries of tenders in Albania. He received dozens of procedures. So, the money of AZHBR has gone to a company and rich owners!

Meanwhile, a few kilometers further south, in Kavaja, a greenhouse has been erected in the middle of the city. But, instead of agricultural products, in those greenhouses financed by AZHBR, there were some horses. According to the documents available to "Fiks Fare", the company that erected these greenhouses is "KAVALJON", owned by the former mayor of the Municipality of Kavaja, Elvis Roshi. He left the municipality in 2016 with the decriminalization process. This company is on the list of AZHBR, which has benefited a full 250 thousand euros in two calls.

The list continues with entities that have large construction firms as owners. "Coast to Coast" is owned by the company "Gjikuria" in Palasa, Himare. This company received about 150 thousand euros in the first call to build a hotel and resort. Meanwhile, another large construction firm, "Company Riviera", owned by the brothers of former MP Ndue Kola, has been financed. Although she had no experience in the field of agriculture, she proposed to AZHBR the establishment of a warehouse for the collection and selection of fruits and vegetables. IPARD came to his aid with 50% of the investment, offering 810,469 euros.

The firm "Agri Balkanika" has received about 100 thousand euros of funds from AZHBR for the construction of a greenhouse. The company is owned by Mr. Daniel Shandro. Mr. Shandro was one of the re-establishment candidates for mayor of Lushnje. Meanwhile, the company "Arka Developpent" has benefited about 170 thousand euros in the field of aquaculture. One of the partners of this firm is Mr. Dael Dervishi, former director of the National Agency of Natural Resources.

The list continues with the company "Bioplant" in Durrës, which received a fund of 230 thousand euros for the establishment of a vineyard. The owner is Mr. Jurgen Dashi, who was a candidate for deputy, meanwhile held the post of chief inspector of Forests and Environment.

In the list of AZHBR, there are beneficiaries from all political wings. One of them is the former PSD candidate for MP Pashuk Masmalaj, who with his company "CHICKEN LAND" received 280,000 euros for setting up a dairy farm. The company "Co Casa" in Fier has benefited from a fund of 280 thousand euros for the construction of a greenhouse. The firm was founded by Mr. Arjon Muça, former MP.

Fiks Fare/ Former deputies, former mayors, former directors received millions of

Meanwhile, in Lushnje there is a warehouse of the company "Doni Fruits". In 2021, SP deputy Erion Braçe wrote on social networks that its owner has the largest point of exports, but with great help from the government. It has given close to 100 million new ALL, plus the road from the ADF, plus a dedicated line for energy, plus a dedicated line for water. This company has been subsidized again by AZHBR in the amount of 924 thousand euros.

Another candidate for deputy has benefited from agricultural funds. Elton Ismaili has received from IPARD an amount of 90 thousand euros for agrotourism in Gjirokastër. The company of Mr. Armand Duka in Durrës, AIBA, which received an amount of 140 thousand euros for a glass drying plant. Arben Isufaj, a person who has been detained and arrested several times and is known as "Ben Qimja", is also on the list of beneficiaries of IPARD. He has benefited a total of 294 thousand euros for the construction of a greenhouse in Dërmenas of Fier.

Mrs. Eriona Kokoneshi, the wife of the former Mayor of Divjaka, Fredi Kokoneshi, is also a beneficiary of 44,000 euros. He would use the money to build a wine cellar. Former MP Dash Peza also received 222,000 euros for building a farm in Peza. About 50 thousand euros was also received by Mr. Alban Berisha, Saimir Tahir's brother-in-law for setting up a farm in Vaqarr. In the list is also the company owned by Mr. Alban Zusi, former Deputy Minister of Agriculture. Also many companies with owners who are related to senior officials of the central or local administration.

After this research, Fiks journalists went to the offices of AZHBR in Tirana, raising some questions about " why there are well-known personalities, former politicians, former MPs, former directors and big subjects in these lists". However, none of the directors agreed to give an interview.

In response, AZHBR says that it has financed certain firms 2 or 3 times since they fulfill the conditions. To the question of why there are individuals or firms with political connections in these lists, this Agency says that each firm has signed the conflict of interest form. Fiksi asked him why these lists are dominated by the largest firms. Their answer was that " the selection is defined in the IPARD II program".

And how did the companies gain support for resorts on the coast? According to them, the program does not support resorts or private villas, although some of them have received grants. Fiksi asked AZHBR what stage the IPARD program is at. According to them, they were notified in writing by DG Agri of the measure of suspension of the next payments, until receiving the final report of the administrative investigation of OLAF.

AZHBR sent a long list to Fiksi, where dozens of firms were found to be in violation. In the list is the entity "Kavaljon", owned by Mr. Elves Roshi. Also, the "Coast to Coast" company in Palasa must return part of the money. In total, 80 firms and entities were found to be in violation. These firms must return an amount of 1.5 million euros. Some of the firms have returned the money, while some others have opened court proceedings.

Fiksi also talked with Mr. Ndoc Faslia, lecturer at the Agricultural University of Tirana. He said that in recent years there has been no support for producers, farmers. "At the center of the support have been the big businesses, tourism, agro-processing and collection. The irony in this support is also the builders. They have no agricultural background. The logic is simple that by giving money to them, large sums are justified, mismanagement is also more easily justified," the lecturer asserts.

He further states that 40% of the firms that have been declared winners were created in the last 3-4 years, after 2019 and 2020. " The IPARD schemes started after 2018. A good part of these entities were created after 2018 They were all created with the idea because someone may have promised them to benefit from these funds. At a time when the real producers, the field producers, have been neglected" , he says, while adding that the surface of the land left fallow has increased by 25-30%. " The alarming situation in livestock herds, small herds have been sold", continued Mr. Faslia, saying that the schemes have favored people who are not related to agriculture.

"Of course the lists are public, the people are known, the activity is known. Why they are on the list, through whom they have established connections with the structures of agriculture. I think that in addition to controlling the structures of the EC and DG Agri, the state structures should be set in motion. After it is given to an entity that has no agricultural background at all and grants are given 3-4 times with the excuse that it has a project, it has a financial plan. There is a certain amount. This is a genuine abuse of funds ", he concludes./ tch

Fiks Fare/ Former deputies, former mayors, former directors received millions of