Reports: Thaci’s cousin “cost budget millions”

Kosovo Albanian Prime Minister Hashim Thaci’s cousin Nijazi Thaci cost the Kosovo electric company KEK EUR 8mn, according to a Pristina daily. Thaci, who is KEK’s Public Purchases Director, is suspected of incurring damages to the company by buying electricity at a 20 percent higher price, Koha Ditore writes. Reports: Thaci’s cousin “cost budget millions” According to a report from an American USAID advisors, quoted in the article, Thaci approved the purchase of electricity from November 2008 to May 2009 for a price that was 20 percent higher than usual. The newspaper writes that the report of the PA Consulting company was sent to USAID which states that KEK spend EUR 8mn more than necessary for the electricity. “Despite all warnings to KEK that it should not by electricity at a higher price in order for B and C category consumers to have electricity 24 hours a day, based on the instructions of the Kosovo government, KEK signed a contract in the amount of EUR 41mn for the period in question,” the report states. The same amount of money, about EUR 40mn, was spend from that time until the beginning of 2010, when KEK was buying electricity from Serbian companies EFT and Rudnap. The report adds that both companies were under investigations. According to earlier investigations of the two companies, European Commission investigators said that EFT had suspicious transactions in the case of KEK with the Greek bank Artesia. KEK officials deny receiving official reports from the American advisors, adding that they asked for recommendations regarding the case from PA Consulting, but never received them.

Reports: Thaci’s cousin “cost budget millions”

According to a report from an American USAID advisors, quoted in the article, Thaci approved the purchase of electricity from November 2008 to May 2009 for a price that was 20 percent higher than usual.

The newspaper writes that the report of the PA Consulting company was sent to USAID which states that KEK spend EUR 8mn more than necessary for the electricity.

“Despite all warnings to KEK that it should not by electricity at a higher price in order for B and C category consumers to have electricity 24 hours a day, based on the instructions of the Kosovo government, KEK signed a contract in the amount of EUR 41mn for the period in question,” the report states.

The same amount of money, about EUR 40mn, was spend from that time until the beginning of 2010, when KEK was buying electricity from Serbian companies EFT and Rudnap.

The report adds that both companies were under investigations.

According to earlier investigations of the two companies, European Commission investigators said that EFT had suspicious transactions in the case of KEK with the Greek bank Artesia.

KEK officials deny receiving official reports from the American advisors, adding that they asked for recommendations regarding the case from PA Consulting, but never received them.