One of the media bosses in Albania, Italian Karlo Bolino, has managed to take millions of Lek from Albanian taxes.
He even rented ridiculously some public properties that he uses, such as “Bunk’art”, in Tirana, a military bunker open to the public recently. The bunker was reconstructed with the money of Albanians, and learned that it cost about 100 thousand USD.
Doubts about “Bunk’art”
An Italian company, “Spazio Eventi Albania”, also did the reconstruction until it opened last year. Subsequently, with some dubious proceedings by the Ministry of Culture or the Defense Department, it was transferred to the NGO “URA Center”, which is under the administration of the Italian tycoon, operating in Albania more than 25 years, initially with “Gazeta Shqiptare” and “News 24” and now with “Shqiptarja.com” and “Report TV”.
Boldnews.al has made an investigation of how Bollino has benefited from the money. He has registered an NGO (NGO List in Tirana: http: //www.amshc.gov.al/web/ojf/Qarku-Tirane.htm) at the Civil Society Support Agency. The NGO with ordinal number 210, “Bridge Center”, has the administrator citizen Ergys Gezka, who turns out to be the leader of another NGO. In this list, “URA” also has a node L21721454C. Boldneës.al made a simple check at NRC, but there was no subject registered with this nict.
Later, Boldneës.al controlled the Treasury State Payments Payments for this NPO. From the data obtained, it resulted that in the payments of December 31, 2014, this NGO received about 50 million Lek old. Ministry of Culture has awarded 40 percent of contract number 5208 of 11 November 2014. It is learned that in explanation of this payment, is also a DCM number 596 dated 10.09.2014. Under the control. This DCM of the Council of Ministers deals with the use of the reserve fund. ALL 77.5 million was spent on current expenditures and 6.5 million ALL for capital expenditures to cover expenses for the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of the country for some ministries and institutions and specifically for the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, The Directorate of Government Services, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Culture. With this DCM, the expenses of the arrival of Pope Francis in Albania have been covered.
So Bolino’s NGO received around 50 million ALL, with the Ministry’s 5208 contract. What is this contract? An audit was carried out by the Supreme State Audit. According to this report, Ms. Elira Kokona, in the capacity of the Secretary-General, should be given disciplinary measures for alleged violations in awarding contracts for projects beneficiaries of funding from the Ministry of Culture. One of these projects is also “Bunk’Art” (BUNKERI). “It is ascertained that with the order no.309, dated 30.10.2014 of the Minister, is ordered the financing of the project” BUNKERI “to be realized by QSSL in the amount of 11,985,000 lekë, Elira Kokona, Secretary General for signing the contract with Mr. Ergys Gezka, Executive Director of QSSL, with which service contract No. 5208, dated 11.11.2014, was signed.
The contract was signed, contrary to law no. 10352, dated 18.11.2010, Article 27/1, as amended and DCM no. 709, date 24.10.2012, Chapter III, points 3, 4 and 5, since the beneficiary entity has not been selected by the committee established for the assessment of artistic and economic quality and the Collegium, Elira Kokonën, General Secretary, “reads the SAI report (http://www.klsh.org.al/web/pub/njoftim_mk_2116_1.pdf).
“Support for civil society”
Meanwhile, Boldneës.al has further deepened the investigation for this NGO, which results to have received other grants. Thus, again the Agency for the Support of Civil Society (AMSHC), on 11.05.2015 made a transaction from the State Treasury. This agency says it has disbursed the “Bridge Center” NGO with 70 percent on the basis of a decision of 1 April 2015 and contract number 131/2 with the object of “support for civil society”. In this case, the payment on the payroll is 13 million ALL old.
The “Bridge” received a payment of about 6 million Lek even in February this year, again by AMCHC, for the grant of April 1, 2015.
Payments continued on 25 May this year, where “URA Center” has received full 21 million Lek old. Again, the object of this payment on the State Treasury payroll is “support for civil society”. In the latter case, the contract with number 13/3 of 16 May was executed.
Already, remains to be seen, the next payment of state agencies for Karlo Bolino’s NGO, who has managed to put all Albanian states in the line, putting pressure through the media they own.
