EUR 2.8bn misappropriated in Kosovo, B92’s Insider reveals

BELGRADE In the past 12 years, Serbia has spent at least EUR 2.8bn for Kosovo, revealed B92’s investigative program Insider in an episode that was aired on Monday. The numbers that were revealed by the Insider team, which were obtained based on the Law on Availability of Information of Public Significance, showed that around EUR 650,000 was spent every day for Kosovo, mostly from the state budget. EUR 2.8bn misappropriated in Kosovo, B92’s Insider reveals The money did not reach those that needed it and it was spent on increased salaries and daily salaries, even for people who did not live in Kosovo. Employees and management of state-owned companies that were not operational for years were paid from the budget, Insider has determined. B92 reporters received data from 11 ministries in the past government regarding spent assets for Kosovo in different periods in the past 12 years. According to these figures, from 2007 to 2011, EUR 349.5mn was spent on pensions, NBS paid foreign debt of Kosovo of EUR 430.5mn in the period from 2002 to 2011, the Health Insurance Fund spent EUR 54.2mn in the period between 2003 and 2010 and state-owned company Roads of Serbia spent EUR 39.8mn for construction and maintenance of the roads. According to the Insider team, the Ministry for Kosovo filed charges against several people for misuse of assets for Serbs in Kosovo and unfinished projects but not a single process has been completed so far. According to the information gathered by the Insider team, 36 state-owned companies in Kosovo did not do anything but they were financed from the state budget. Former Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic told Insider that Kosovo, considering how much money was allocated for it in the past 12 years, should have become "the most developed region in Europe". B92 VIP

EUR 2.8bn misappropriated in Kosovo, B92’s Insider reveals

The money did not reach those that needed it and it was spent on increased salaries and daily salaries, even for people who did not live in Kosovo. Employees and management of state-owned companies that were not operational for years were paid from the budget, Insider has determined.

B92 reporters received data from 11 ministries in the past government regarding spent assets for Kosovo in different periods in the past 12 years. According to these figures, from 2007 to 2011, EUR 349.5mn was spent on pensions, NBS paid foreign debt of Kosovo of EUR 430.5mn in the period from 2002 to 2011, the Health

Insurance Fund spent EUR 54.2mn in the period between 2003 and 2010 and state-owned company Roads of Serbia spent EUR 39.8mn for construction and maintenance of the roads.

According to the Insider team, the Ministry for Kosovo filed charges against several people for misuse of assets for Serbs in Kosovo and unfinished projects but not a single process has been completed so far.

According to the information gathered by the Insider team, 36 state-owned companies in Kosovo did not do anything but they were financed from the state budget.

Former Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanović told Insider that Kosovo, considering how much money was allocated for it in the past 12 years, should have become "the most developed region in Europe".