In three months, 16 violations of procurement procedures by the government, municipalities and public enterprises

Prishtina, 26 August 2011- Movement FOL within its commitment to fight corruption is focused on the procurement sector, considered the most corrupt sector in Kosovo. As a result of monitoring of procurement, there are regular reports “Corruption Monitor”, published by FOL where the key findings are reflected in the award of public contracts. Such a report is published today, the second since FOL begun monitoring procurement in March 2011.

During a press conference today publishing “Procurement Monitor” for the period April-June 2011, Project Coordinator for Procurement Monitoring at Movement FOL, Fidan Kalaja, said that “since March of this year when Movement FOL made a request to monitor the procurement offices of the five ministries, with three of these ministries, the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Public Administration and the Ministry of Health has managed to sign understanding memorandums whereas with two other ministries, ministry of education and infrastructure we did not managed to sign the memorandum. “He further added that “since the beginning of the monitoring of Procurement in the Ministry of Justice, FOL has monitored 16 procurement procedures (not including re-tendering) of which were cancelled or re-tendered 5 tenders, in the Ministry of Public Administration we have monitored 7 tenders where one of them has been re-published two other times. For the first time, thanks to the initiative of FOL, several papers have been invited to monitor the million bid evaluation procedures for construction of MKSF building. Minwhile the Ministry of Health, although there is a memorandum signed by the Minister Agani, the procurement office has not been cooperating by refusing participation of FOL in evaluation of bids meetings. FOL has prepared a report on abuses in this ministry and we are expecting to discuss this report with the Minister next week, the report will be public after the meeting. “

Researcher of Movement FOL Armend Mazreku presented the data of the report “Procurement Monitor”, stating that “during this reporting period we find out that it is just like before the old legal violations committed by the ministries and other public institutions regarding procurement procedures “. He stated that “the Government of Kosovo during the period April – June has committed 5 violations, these violations have occurred in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Public Administration, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports”. Also according to him “public enterprises respectively Kosovo Energy Corporation has violated two procurement activities, while municipalities have committed 9 violations during this period