Russian media on Pacolli

Moscow media are reporting that Kosovo presidential candidate Behgjet Pacolli is known in Russia for a Kremlin reconstruction scandal. Moscow-based daily Kommersant writes that Pacolli was at the center of corruption affairs close to former Russian President Boris Yeltsin. Russian media on Pacolli The media write that the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) leader was in Russia in the early 1990s when his Switzerland-based company Mabetex Group was carrying out projects in Yakutia. He allegedly met Yakutsk Mayor Pavel Borodin who became head of the Presidential Property Management Department in 1993. Pacolli’s firm was soon hired to reconstruct the Kremlin, Shuyskaya Chupa presidential residence, government headquarters, headquarters of the State Duma and the Federation Council and many more projects, the media write. Moscow-based daily Moscow Komsomolets reports that “scandalous Behgjet Pacolli, a Kremlin restorer, will head Kosovo”, while RBC TV states that Pacolli was hired to do a reconstruction of the Russian state buildings thanks to his friendship with Borodin. Kommersant writes that Pacolli became a central figure of the corruption scandal close to Yeltsin and that several officials were suspected of accepting bribes in exchange for the Kremlin reconstruction job. Mabetex offices in Lugano were searched in January of 1999 at Russia’s request and Pacolli was questioned by then Swiss State Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte. According to the daily, the Swiss authorities charged him with money laundering and giving bribes worth USD 4mn in June 2000. The proceedings in Russia were in dismissed in December 2000 and Switzerland closed the case in March 2002. Kommersant also writes that a personal conflict in the meantime grew between Pacolli and then Russian State Prosecutor Yuri Skuratov, who launched the investigation against Mabetex and was subsequently relieved of his duties. The daily added that if Pacolli became the president of Kosovo, he would enter "high politics" and therefore achieve his goal. The report says that he has been actively lobbying for Kosovo’s independence since 2005 and that it would be "much easier for him to continue lobbying if he became president". Voice of Russia Radio has assessed that Pacolli is “simply an angel” compared to Kosovo Albanian Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. “Such a president can talk to Brussels, to Washington, to Belgrade and even to unobliging Moscow if he is lucky,” the radio reported. Russian Academy of Science Center for Study of Current Balkan Crisis’ Anna Filimonova told the radio, however, that Pacolli had also lobbied for the Nabucco gas pipeline and Iran-Turkey-Greece-Albania-Kosovo pipeline. According to her, this is fundamentally contrary to the Russian interests in the Balkans, especially regarding the construction of the rival South Stream gas pipeline.

Russian media on Pacolli

The media write that the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) leader was in Russia in the early 1990s when his Switzerland-based company Mabetex Group was carrying out projects in Yakutia.

He allegedly met Yakutsk Mayor Pavel Borodin who became head of the Presidential Property Management Department in 1993.

Pacolli’s firm was soon hired to reconstruct the Kremlin, Shuyskaya Chupa presidential residence, government headquarters, headquarters of the State Duma and the Federation Council and many more projects, the media write.

Moscow-based daily Moscow Komsomolets reports that “scandalous Behgjet Pacolli, a Kremlin restorer, will head Kosovo”, while RBC TV states that Pacolli was hired to do a reconstruction of the Russian state buildings thanks to his friendship with Borodin.

Kommersant writes that Pacolli became a central figure of the corruption scandal close to Yeltsin and that several officials were suspected of accepting bribes in exchange for the Kremlin reconstruction job.

Mabetex offices in Lugano were searched in January of 1999 at Russia’s request and Pacolli was questioned by then Swiss State Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte.

According to the daily, the Swiss authorities charged him with money laundering and giving bribes worth USD 4mn in June 2000. The proceedings in Russia were in dismissed in December 2000 and Switzerland closed the case in March 2002.

Kommersant also writes that a personal conflict in the meantime grew between Pacolli and then Russian State Prosecutor Yuri Skuratov, who launched the investigation against Mabetex and was subsequently relieved of his duties.

The daily added that if Pacolli became the president of Kosovo, he would enter "high politics" and therefore achieve his goal. The report says that he has been actively lobbying for Kosovo’s independence since 2005 and that it would be "much easier for him to continue lobbying if he became president".

Voice of Russia Radio has assessed that Pacolli is “simply an angel” compared to Kosovo Albanian Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.

“Such a president can talk to Brussels, to Washington, to Belgrade and even to unobliging Moscow if he is lucky,” the radio reported.

Russian Academy of Science Center for Study of Current Balkan Crisis’ Anna Filimonova told the radio, however, that Pacolli had also lobbied for the Nabucco gas pipeline and Iran-Turkey-Greece-Albania-Kosovo pipeline.

According to her, this is fundamentally contrary to the Russian interests in the Balkans, especially regarding the construction of the rival South Stream gas pipeline.