Prosecution: Hajdari was aware that the price of wheat was €200 per ton cheaper than when he imported it

Minister Rozeta Hajdari was aware of the average price of wheat, as she was informed about it by Customs, according to the indictment of the Special Prosecution Office in the state reserve case. However, according to the indictment, wheat for the needs of the state reserve was imported for almost 200 euros more expensive per ton.

The Special Prosecution alleges that the acting Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, Rozeta Hajdari (MINT), was aware that the wheat that the country's authorities would import for the state reserve was about 200 euros per ton more expensive. 

The indictment charges the acting minister, then deputy secretary Irfan Lipovica and the director of the State Reserve Department, Haviz Gara, with corruption, while businessman Ridvan Muharremi is charged with aiding and abetting the abuse of official duty. 

According to the Prosecution, Minister Hajdari was informed of the average price by Agon Llugaliu, director of Kosovo Customs, but decided to import the wheat from a Turkish company for about 200 euros more per ton.

"The email, dated 10.03.2022, confirms the fact that Agron Llugaliu, Director General of Kosovo Customs, notified the defendant Rozeta Hajdari regarding the import data of essential products, where, among other things, she is also informed about the average price of wheat imported into Kosovo, where, according to official data attached to this email, it results that in January 2022 the average price of wheat was 295 euros per ton, in February 277 euros per ton, while on the 10th of March it was 290 euros per ton... and despite this fact, on 14.03.2022 she signed the contract with the economic operator 'Yafe Turizm Insaat Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi', at a price of 483,48 euros per ton of wheat, a price extremely high compared to the average price imported into Kosovo," the indictment states. 

Hajdari did not answer the prosecution's questions when invited for an interview, saying that the elaboration on the state reserve reveals information classified as secret. 
The prosecution has assessed that this reasoning is not valid, since it is prohibited to classify documents that prove legal violations.

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And the accused Hafiz Gara told prosecutors that the minister instructed him not to buy wheat from companies that import it from Serbia. 

"In this regard, the defendant states that after receiving the email, they had held a working meeting at the ministry with the representative of 'M&Sillosi' to discuss the issue of wheat supply. On this occasion, they had discussed the difficulties of supply at that time, but the representative of 'M&Sillosi' had made it clear that they had the capacity to supply wheat. In this regard, when asked why 'M&Sillosi' was not contracted for the supply of wheat, when the same had shown that there was a possibility for such a supply, especially since the defendant himself was the chairman of the Negotiation Commission, he stated that he did not select this company due to the fact that Minister Rozeta Hajdari appealed that 'M&Sillosi' is supplied with wheat from Serbia and is not a suitable partner for this supply," the indictment states. 

The other defendant, Irfan Lipovica, told the prosecution that he had requested information from the Ministry's Trade Department, but was not told what the wholesale price of wheat was. Lipovica also told the prosecution that during the supply of the state reserve he felt under pressure from the minister.

"When asked by his defense attorney whether he had ever been threatened and blackmailed with his job during this period of time by Minister Rozeta Hajdari and Secretary Irfan Lipovica, specifically for suspension and dismissal, the defendant claimed that during meetings with the minister, she had insulted him with the most banal words, calling him an idiot, incompetent and irresponsible, alluding to the realization of contracts that are under investigation," the indictment states. 

And entrepreneur Ridvan Muharremi told prosecutors that his role was to negotiate on behalf of the Turkish company. 

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"The defendant, in the continuation of his statement, denied having personally negotiated on behalf of the Turkish company 'Yafe Turizm Insaat Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi' with MINT, regarding the terms of the contract for the purchase of wheat. He further claimed that he had in his possession the contract drafted by MINT for the purchase of wheat, which Hafizi had sent him. In this regard, he stated that the price set in the contract for the purchase of wheat was 470 per ton," the indictment states. 

The defendants' goal, according to the Prosecution, was to favor the companies from which the reserves were imported, one of which, according to the SPRK - the Turkish company - had social and business ties with businessman Muharremi. 

The Special Prosecution alleges that through their actions, the defendants caused damage to the state in the amount of 2.9 million euros by importing wheat, of which about 59 tons less arrived. It is also alleged that the cost of transportation was also paid, which was not supposed to be done based on the contract.

The prosecution claims that damage was also done to the state by ordering oil and sugar, goods that were not brought by the company "Xanto SP. ZO. O" based in Poland.

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On Tuesday, the acting minister, Rozeta Hajdari, reacted to the accusation.

"I was just notified by my lawyer about the submission of the indictment by the Special Prosecution Office to the Basic Court in Pristina, regarding the issue of contracting state reserves, a very important process for all of us. As soon as I have received the full indictment document, I will make a more extensive statement to the media. I feel proud of the work I have done as Minister of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, in the most difficult time - ensuring the state reserve of goods, with essential products for living, at a time when we were defenseless, during the months of February and March 2022," she wrote in a post on her Facebook account.