Ministry of Defense ready with handcuffs over rice
The prosecution charged four senior officials
The scandal over tenders for the purchase of soldiers’ food breaks out
Tirana’s bad weather
G. The worsening of the Kosovo crisis, even after the official signing of the Rambouillet Agreement, has drawn public attention in recent days. In Tirana, officials are forecasting, the capital and anarchy. There are many things that need to be made clear. But there are also no few other scandals. One of them is the one that has been boiling loudly these days in the Ministry of Defense. Which immediately makes you go to the news: Tirana’s millions of dollars or the anonymity of this city. The latter, which is certainly of less interest. Tirana residents take it in hand, always leaving it behind. Meanwhile, justice is doing its job. For this reason, yesterday the city’s local prosecution took in four officials close to this ministry. Some government officials will be struck by the horror of their corrupt dealings and governing methods. It is learned that the ministry in question has released some funds for the purchase of food for military units. But under the motto of buying rice or frozen chicken, million-dollar deals were carried out. The value of these funds that had been allocated from the state budget to buy soldiers’ food is extremely large. And for that reason the scandal has taken on very large proportions. A considerable part of these disbursed funds has gone into the pockets of the people who ran the ministry. It is no coincidence that justice is investigating them vigorously regarding the perpetrators of this corruption. Such things, in its portrayal, have the “loud” of the very “popular and governmental” boulevard of the Martyrs of the Nation. In fact, it has had it. In recent days, something like this has been talked about from ministry officials to the circle of people around it. “Something very strong is happening.” This makes you understand that things are coming out from the top. Senior officials of the Ministry of Defense, such as Mr. H. [?], the secretary general and deputy minister, Mr. Et'hem Çeku, the head of logistics, Mr. Ballin Hoxha, the head of personnel, Mr. OSE, the head of the supply base, Tafil Suljoti, have been placed under investigation. The four senior officials in question are accused of being involved in abuses with food tenders. According to a source inside the ministry, it is likely that at least Mr. Ballin Hoxha will be charged with abuse. On the other hand, officials close to Chief Prosecutor Arben Rakipi say that the proceedings against the four officials are in the final stage. In the coming days, it is hoped that this case will be sent to court. The defendants are accused of conducting tenders in violation of the law and favoring certain companies for personal gain. Other sources say that the procedural documentation has many omissions and that the criminal file also includes contracts for the purchase of rice, minced meat and oil. It is still not known whether the prosecution will request immediate arrests, but the investigations have advanced significantly. The case has caused a strong political and administrative reaction.
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