Municipal officials of Ferizaj uninformed about the Law on Protection of Informers

Ferizaj, July 10, 2013 – FOL Movement in a series of debates on the Law on Protection of Informers held the next meeting in Ferizaj on “Anti-Corruption Legal Package: Law on Protection of Informers”. In this debate took part representatives of municipal government, representatives of the Basic Court and Prosecution, representatives of political parties of local level, private sector representatives, as well as participants from non-governmental organizations and media.

Initially, Armend Mazreku, a researcher of FOL Movement presented the findings of the report regarding the Law on Protection of Informers, when Ferizaj was one of the municipalities that FOL had tested the knowledge of officials of this municipality regarding this law.

The Basic Court judge, Ibrahim Idrizi, and the prosecutor of the Basic Prosecution, Rasim Maloku, stated that the law in question is a progress regarding the norms of reporting by public officials, among other things, they mentioned that during investigation and court proceedings there were also denunciation by various municipal officials.

The head of Vetëvendosje (Self-Determination Movement) of Ferizaj municipality, Faton Topalli, among other things he asked municipal executive several questions, “how many public officials report corruption, if Ferizaj municipality has appointed a responsible person for supervision of irregularities and what did Municipality do about informing its officials regarding the Law on Protection of Informers”.

On the other hand, the director of Health Department in Ferizaj, Vesel Zhinipotoku said that “Municipality of Ferizaj is dedicated to promote and implement such an important law”, he then added that “the legal office is essential to address which is obliged to inform and notify public officials about the existence and content of the laws. “

Faik Grainca, the vice president of LDK, branch in Ferizaj, said that “when he and political party were in power, had personally provided assistance to the prosecution authorities to investigate several corruption affairs that were committed at that time, while now corruption is rooted to the highest municipal leaders. “

But, Grainca’s accusations were rejected by the PDK parliamentary group chief, Rafiz Sejdiu, who said that “violations are mostly minor and of administrative nature, even the representatives of the Self-determination Movement and LDK have said the same thing. “

The Chairperson of the Assembly, at the same time candidate for mayor of the city of Ferizaj from AAK Xhavit Zariqi, criticized police, which according to him often hinders the development of investigations with numerous and complex procedures.

Bashkim Fazliu from Civic Initiative said that “corruption cannot be fought by people who are themselves involved in corruption”.

Meanwhile, a representative of the organization INPO, Alban Haliti said that “the trust of the citizens in our institutions is extremely low due to the closure of the institutions to citizens, especially the procurement”. At the end of this debate, participants gave recommendations regarding promotion and implementation of the Law on Protection of Informers.

This project was funded through the grant of American Embassy in Prishtina