"Damage 62 million euros"/PD other accusations in SPAK for Pirro Vëng: 11 tenders in violation of the law

2024-08-05 14:02:00, Politikë CNA

"Damage 62 million euros"/PD other accusations in SPAK for Pirro

Gazment Bardhi

The Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party, through Gazment Bardhi, has today again asked the SPAK to start investigations into the former director of the Durrës Port Authority, the new Minister of Defense Pirro Vëngu.

According to the PD, the reason for this addition to the report announced on July 31, are some legal violations that the former director of the Port of Durrës has committed during the exercise of his duties.

In the additional report of the DP, addressed to SPAK, violations committed by the citizen Pirro Vëngu have been identified, which are summarized as follows: (i) non-realization of income due to the favoring of private entities; (ii) undeserved rewards for employees; (iii) unnecessary and unjustified expenses for fuel; (iv) non-collection of overdue debts; (v) flagrant violations in public procurement procedures; (vi) non-compliance with legal and contractual obligations in contracts for leasing premises/land; (vii) favoritism in violation of the law of entities that carry out the processing of goods; and (viii) lack of control and favoritism of the concessionaires operating in the Port of Durrës.

DP's accusations:

Specifically:

- From the verification of 11 public procurement procedures, worth 34 million euros, it results that a series of legal violations were committed by the General Director of APD, Pirro Vëngu. The systematic and repeated character of these violations with a very negative effect on the State Budget and in favor of private commercial entities, testifies to an organized and stable criminal activity of the citizen Pirro Vëngu, in the capacity of the holder of the Durrës Port Authority.

- From the audit of 72 contracts for the leasing of premises and storage areas, it results that the charging of entities is not respected VKM no. 54, dated 05.02.2024 "On determining the criteria, procedure and manner of leasing, enphyteosis or other contracts of state property".

- From the verification of the contracts with the three companies that operate for the processing of goods (loading-unloading), it turns out that they have favored the economic operator and put the Port of Durrës in financial difficulties.

- From the verification of the contracts with the three concession companies, it is established that the investments were not carried out according to the contractual provisions; there are deficiencies in the management of the system for monitoring the concession contract at the ferry terminal, which has brought a decrease in income for the Port of Durrës, favoring the concessionaire companies contrary to the law.

- According to an analysis made by the High State Control, as a result of the actions and inactions of the citizen Pirro Vëngu, the following was caused:

a) economic damage of ALL 124,792,132, which represents unfair rewards, penalties and payments for unfinished works during the implementation of contracts.

b) negative effects in the administration of public funds for managing them economically, efficiently and effectively in the amount of ALL 2,575,066,085, in the implementation of public procurement procedures, rewards to employees, from trials for unfair dismissals of employees, underutilization of assets.

c) missing income in the amount of ALL 119,406,605 due to non-use of APD assets in the processing of refugee goods, but stevedoring companies were used.

In these conditions, there are reasonable doubts based on evidence, that Pirro Vëngu, former director of the Durrës Port Authority, and currently Minister of Defense, has committed the criminal offenses of "Abuse of duty" and "Violation of the equality of tender participants" or public auctions", provided by articles 248 and 258 of the Criminal Code./ CNA