The Tirana Prosecution Office has completed investigations and brought to trial 20 public servants of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, accused of "abuse of office" committed in collaboration, in connection with seven procurement procedures with a total value of over 525 million lek excluding VAT.
The investigations began after a report from the Supreme State Audit Office and revealed numerous legal violations in tenders for the purchase of veterinary equipment, monitoring systems for hydropower plants, plant protection, and the purchase of animals for compensation to farmers.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, the procedures were conducted in violation of the law, mainly through negotiation without prior announcement, while deficiencies in the definition of product criteria and fictitious market testing were identified. These actions have harmed state interests and constituted a violation of official duty.
The defendants will face charges in court for economic damage and serious violations of the law in public procurement processes.
Announcement:
The Tirana Prosecution Office completes investigations and sends 20 public servants to trial, after they abused their office in at least seven procurements at the Ministry of Agriculture.
They are charged with the criminal offense of 'Abuse of office' committed in collaboration.
From the investigations conducted on criminal proceedings no. 2069, of 2025, it resulted that citizens MK, EH, G.Xh., IAAGj., LKEP, LH, MP, EF, AL, ER, IB, AZ, A.Gj., SP, AI, A.Dh., KN, AA have committed the above acts to the detriment of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The investigations began after a report made by the Supreme State Audit Office (SSA) regarding seven procurement procedures, conducted mainly through negotiation without prior announcement and with a limit fund of 525,000,000 lek excluding VAT.
The procedures for which violations were found related to the procurements for "Plant protection and pest control in agriculture", for "Purchase of equipment for veterinary services (motorcycles, helmets, clothing, gloves, bags), "Purchase of cattle for compensation of farmers damaged by nodular dermatosis of cattle" and for "Camera monitoring system for hydrovores".
The above defendants, in their capacity as persons entrusted with a public function, in collaboration with each other, for each tender procedure have acted in violation of the law or laws that regulate the relevant activity of the person exercising a specific public function. In this way, constituting a regular failure to fulfill their duty, harming the legitimate interests of the state, citizens and other legal entities.
The investigation of the procedures proved that the elements of the criminal offense were consumed and that actions were carried out that are not justified in relation to the shortcomings in determining the criteria for the goods required, but above all, the conviction is created that the market testing was carried out in a fictitious manner.
After reviewing the entirety of the above-mentioned acts, it is assessed that there is a conviction based on evidence that the members of the procurement unit have committed the criminal offense of abuse of office, referring to the type of procedure chosen for procurement.
