The acting Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, Rozeta Hajdari, appeared today for the second time at the Special Prosecution Office to be interviewed regarding suspicions of misuse of state reserves. She remained silent again, as she had not answered any questions the first time last year. After her, the former secretary of the ministry, Irfan Lipovica, also went to the Prosecution Office for an interview. Although not as a defendant, Albin Kurti is not acting like these government officials. The acting Prime Minister has refused several invitations and a court order to appear for an interview as a witness. The Chief Prosecutor of the Special Prosecution Office, Blerim Isufaj, recently indicated that they had requested an order from the Court to bring her by force to the Prosecution Office.
Express newspaper
Rozeta Hajdari went to the Special Prosecution Office again today. The acting Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade was interviewed as a defendant regarding suspicions of misuse of state reserves.
The prosecution said it was invited "for the purpose of fully and fairly ascertaining the factual situation, regarding all suspicions that are part of the investigation of this criminal case."
She, as the spokesperson for the Special Prosecution, Arbnora Luta, said, defended herself silently, just like the first time. Hajdari was also interviewed in April last year for the same case.
He spoke to the media.
After being interviewed by the Prosecutor's Office, Hajdari said he was asked about the purchase of state reserves in February and March 2022.
She complained that the Prosecution received "documents classified as state secrets."
"No person may have access to the classified secret reserve without a clear legal procedure according to the instructions of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency and the Agency for the Protection of Classified Information," said Hajdari.
Ehat Miftaraj from the Kosovo Law Institute said that with this statement, Hajdari "demonstrates the level of ignorance of herself and those who advise her."
"In criminal justice, ignorance of the law does not exempt you from criminal liability. Add to that the fact that the ministry she heads and the government have given a citizen (a baker) access to these very secret documents," he wrote.
"Kosovo does not deserve such people to take on such political responsibilities and it is living proof of how little integrity these institutions have," Miftaraj wrote in a Facebook post.
After Hajdar, the former secretary of the ministry, Irfan Lipovica, also went to the Special Prosecution Office today.
Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti still refuses to appear before the Spatial Prosecution Office, not as a defendant, but as a witness. He has rejected several invitations from the Prosecution Office and ignored a court order not to give his testimony.
He continues to find it unnecessary to appear before the specialized prosecution body. He has said that he is "open and cooperative" only with institutions that he considers to be acting "in accordance with the principles of justice and impartiality."
The Chief Prosecutor of the Special Prosecution Office, Blerim Isufaj, said in an interview with Kallxo.com broadcast on Sunday that Kurti "should be the best example for other citizens" in this regard.
He said that they have asked the Court to order his forcible transfer to the Prosecutor's Office.
"He did not come. We have the invitations as required by the Code of Procedure – two invitations, he did not respond. We have addressed the Court, as required by law – twice. The Court has issued two orders, but he has not come. I say with authority that our request was clear – to issue an order for the witness to be brought by force to the Prosecutor's Office. Such an order has never been issued," he says.
Months ago, Kurti's office had to react after the acting prime minister refused the order of the Basic Court of Pristina to appear on March 4 at the Special Prosecution Office and instead chose to go at the same time to "Livadhet e Arapit", a neighborhood of Gjilan, for the laying of the cornerstone of a kindergarten.
Kurti considers the request to have him in the specialized prosecution body for an interview unnecessary. He considers his testimony to have no impact on the essence of the case.
The Special Prosecution Office first invited Kurti to testify in December of last year. Since then, the prime minister has declined several other invitations, requesting to be interviewed only in his office.
Chief Prosecutor Isufaj says they can go to Kurti "in other situations."
"For example, if he is a victim of a crime, if he is threatened eventually – we have no problem, we go to him. Or if he is sick. But none of these elements hold up. Why should we make this exception?"
The Special Prosecution Office says that the state had paid state reserves that had not arrived, damaging the budget by over 600 thousand euros.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, the planned supply was 10 tons at a price of 4,834,778 euros; 200 liters of oil and 120 kilograms of sugar, at a price of 276 euros - these amounts paid in full in advance.
The ministry led by Rozeta Hajdari, according to the Prosecution, had only received 9.947.5 tons of wheat, 52.5 tons less than the contracted quantity. Part of the contracted quantity of reserves is suspected to have never reached Kosovo.
t7 live
