By Boldnews.al
Last Thursday, Prime Minister Rama sealed the Assembly by creating a “Former State Security Information Authority”. At the head of this Authority he appointed, Ms. Gentjana Sula. But the latter is the wife of the owner of the company “AGI KONS” sh.pk, an exemplary tender participant, present in almost every weekly newsletter that publishes public fund bidding.
So, the relationship of government customers is strengthening and the circle of interests between them is getting stuck!
Just a few weeks ago, AGI KONS “sh.pk together with the company” EDIL AL-IT “sh.pk won the tender for” Rehabilitation of the Opera Theater and National Ensemble “with a value of about 10 billion ALL old. Irregularities and suspicious procedures during the performance of this tender were reported in the media.
But the billions earned from public funds are not enough to achieve the prosperity of the Sula family, which is now seeking to climb the career ladder in the corridors of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Government customers, beneficiaries of public funds, through public investment are also gaining confidence through involvement in top governing governance structures.
However, the spouse of the owner of the company “AGI KONS” sh.pk, preferred by Prime Minister Rama, Gentiana Sula was elected with 77 votes in favor of the chairman of the ‘Authority for Information on Former State Security Files’, recommended by the government. And not just so!
In addition to reviewing the files, the Authority will also have a tag for verification of senior officials. But according to the Law on the Right to Information, … the scope of its implementation extends to the members of the government, who according to the Albanian legislation are also the heads of contracting authorities that organize the tendering procedures of public funds!
So it is possible that in the future, Mrs. Sula certify the same people as titulars who will apply the procedures of those tenders, where her husband will be a participant!
Do we have a conflict of interest here? a decision-making of administrative acts intertwined with private interests ?! So, is there a role to play, the possible assignment of Mrs. Sula in charge of the Information Authority, in the fate of the public funds tenders, where will be her husband, Mr. Sula?
According to the Law on the Right to Information on Documents, which regulates the status of the Chairperson of the Authority, Article 9 defines the criteria to be met by the member of the Authority, the candidate with a conflict of interest (point f) is excluded.
But Prime Minister Rama not only did not exclude him, but instead, proposing, officially on his behalf, assures Mrs. There is a guarantee of approval without the need for the collection of 28 deputies, necessary for the other members of the Authority (the Authority will have five members, of whom will be elected and the Chairman).
Perhaps not by accident, the same conflicting situation of interest, included the Minister of Culture, MirelaKumbaroFurxhi with the owners of the company “EDIT AL-IT” sh.pk who had hired her husband and subsequently were declared winners together with “AGI KONS” sh.pk, in the same tender “For Opera Theater and National Ensemble “organized by this ministry. We remind that, just two days before the winner of this tender was announced, “Vizion Plus” stopped broadcasting the investigative program “Públicus”, a program that demobilized and documented irregularities with public funds.
Although during the tender’s development, a number of facts and irregularities were reported in the media, to date there is no response from the authorities.
More and more, a limited number of individuals and companies are reaping the benefits of ‘Private Public Partnership’ and are turning to the government’s favorite clients in complete silence, far from the public’s attention, in a lack of transparency and accountability!
The media they finance is also silent! Journalists who dare to shed light on these corrupt affairs are fired! A minority, out of influence, ignores, and balts!
The coming to power three years ago, the government will need a few more months to close the balance of its mandate. Until then there is still a way, but one thing is definitely closed: the creation of a few all-powerful oligarchs that control the entire economic and political structure of the country.
