PD request for debate on abuses of IPARD funds for agriculture

2024-07-11 13:44:00, Politikë CNA

PD request for debate on abuses of IPARD funds for agriculture

Gazment Bardhi

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party, Gazment Bardhi, has requested the development of a motion with debate regarding the findings of the European Union Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the measures that the Assembly of Albania should take to ensure the necessary mechanisms that protect financial interests. of the EU from illegal activities and that bring the benefit of funds from the IPARD program from Albanian farmers.

The DP Parliamentary Group's request comes after an investigation carried out by the European Union Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), which officially announced that it has identified the misuse of 33 million euros of EU funds in aid of Albanian agriculture and recommended blocking the package the next amount of 112 million euros, as long as there are no measures to guarantee the protection of the financial interests of the EU.

Specifically, OLAF discovered some serious irregularities during the grant awarding and implementation phase of some projects, including: (1) Applicants are required to pay a significant portion of their grant to a local consulting company; (2) Contracts that are awarded without competition, or with manipulated competition (with false offers being submitted); (3) Inflated prices and breach of contractual rules.

The Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party states that the Assembly of Albania must discuss, analyze and find the necessary mechanisms so that such abusive schemes, which lead to the blocking of European Union funds, are not repeated in the future.

"It is necessary for the Parliament of Albania to adopt a Resolution, which strongly condemns the abuse of European taxpayers' funds, holds the relevant executive institutions administratively responsible, appeals to the justice institutions to carry out a full and quick investigation to bring responsibility penalize anyone who has violated the law, as well as undertake to take all necessary legal measures to avoid situations of this nature in the future and to protect the financial interests of the EU from illegal activities, through the establishment of a Special Commission Parliamentarian, who after analyzing the shortcomings, proposes the concrete measures that are necessary for the responsible institutions of the European Union to recommend the unblocking of funds for Albania" - writes Bardhi in the request addressed to the Speaker of the Assembly. /CNA