DREAM / The Prime Minister resigns and wakes up under the Parisian bridge!

 Kliko këtu për të tjera
Voxpress:

Investigations into IPARD funds stall

2025-08-12 19:33:37Fokus SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Investigations into IPARD funds stall

For two years, Albanian agriculture has been without millions of euros from the IPARD III program, as European Union funds for rural development have been blocked due to suspicions of corruption. Brussels has been asking the Albanian authorities to take this issue seriously for two years, but so far their reaction resembles a turtle's pace.

Since 2020, the file on the investigation of abuses with IPARD funds has gone through the tables of Albanian justice institutions, without any concrete results. Initially, the case was registered with the Special Prosecutor's Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). After two years, SPAK declared incompetence and passed the file to the Tirana Prosecutor's Office. In September 2023, the file was returned to SPAK again.

At the time, SPAK told Faktoje.al that the criminal investigation into the distribution of funds was still in the preliminary phase and, due to investigative secrecy, could not provide more information.

The same answer was given at the beginning of August.

"The case is at the stage of preliminary investigations. Due to the preservation of investigative secrecy, we cannot make further information public," – SPAK.

So, even after two years, the investigation into the IPARD file continues to wander in the preliminary phase. No name. No arrests. No act of accusation.

"They force you to believe that there is no justice!" – says Romeo Nazarko, one of the first denouncers of the IPARD fund abuse scheme in Albania. "I have made three reports to SPAK, including IPARD, all three of them asleep," he adds.

In 2023, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) concluded the administrative investigation into the misuse of IPARD II funds and forwarded the final report, together with the recommendations, to the Albanian authorities and the European Commission. In a reaction to Faktoje.al, the press office at OLAF underlines that the decision on any further steps is now up to the competent local authorities, according to their assessment. In other words, OLAF passes the ball on our court.

"OLAF conducts administrative investigations. It is then up to the competent authorities to decide on any further action regarding OLAF's recommendations, according to their assessment. For this reason, we are unable to comment further, including the details of the investigation and the evidence collected by OLAF," OLAF's press office underlines for Faktoje.al.

European money should be properly protected

Since IPARD funds were suspended, the European Commission has repeatedly reiterated the request that the issue be treated seriously by the Albanian authorities.

For two years in a row, they have emphasized the need for corrective measures and full transparency in the investigation of abuses, making this a necessary condition for the resumption of funding.

The Commission is aware of an external audit that the Albanian government has contracted to verify IPARD II grants and payments, as well as the new internal management and control system. But while the bilateral procedures continue, no other details are given, while the expectation is that the issue will be resolved quickly and responsibly.

"The European Union stands ready to continue to support Albanian farmers, the agri-food sector and rural areas in the future, provided that the financial interests of the European Union are properly protected." - makes clear a spokesperson of the European Commission for Faktoje.al.

There is no date for the return of IPARD

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development declares to Faktoje.al that "it is maximally engaged and is implementing an action plan with concrete measures, agreed with the structures of the European Commission."

The external audit, which according to the ministry "is in the implementation phase and its results are expected within this year", is one of the main steps for the resumption of funds.

Upon its completion, the Ministry emphasizes that "the procedures in implementation of the Financial Framework Partnership Agreement and the Sectoral Agreement" will be carried out, which are crucial for the finalization of the Financing Agreement for the IPARD III Program and the opening of calls for applications.

But despite the efforts, there is still no concrete date for the return of IPARD funds. The ministry adds that "at the end of the audit and fulfillment of the recommendations given, the Financing Agreement will be finalized and then the calls for applications will be opened."

However, for farmers and the entire agriculture sector, these are just steps in a process that has been dragging on for a long time. They demand a precise date for the resumption of funding that will give breathing space to Albanian agriculture.

The IPARD Agriculture Support Program provides grants to assist the agricultural sector to all countries that are in the process of joining the European Union. Albania is one of the five countries benefiting from grant support. Through the IPARD II program, which was implemented during 2014 and 2020, Albania benefited over 71 million euros of funds. And as the country waited to start supporting agriculture through IPARD III with 146 million euros in grants, the European Commission decided to suspend it based on suspicions of corruption. /Faktoje.al


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

Video

SHIKO KANALIN NE YOUTUBE
×