For two years, IPARD funds for Albanian agriculture have been blocked due to suspicions of corruption, but SPAK investigations have not yet yielded concrete results. Brussels insists that Albanian authorities treat this issue seriously, stressing that European money must be properly protected. The Ministry of Agriculture states that it is working on an external audit and other improvement measures, but there is still no clear date for the resumption of IPARD funding.
Esmeralda Ball
For two years, Albanian agriculture has been without millions of euros from the IPARD III program, as European Union funds for rural development have been blocked due to suspicions of corruption. Brussels has been asking Albanian authorities to take this issue seriously for two years, but so far their response has been like a turtle's pace.
Since 2020, the file for the investigation of the abuse of IPARD funds has been going through the tables of the Albanian justice institutions, without any concrete result. Initially, the case was registered with the Special Prosecutor's Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). After two years, SPAK declared incompetence and transferred the file to the Tirana Prosecutor's Office. In September 2023, the file was returned to SPAK again.
At the time, SPAK told Faktoje.al that the criminal investigation into the distribution of funds was still in the preliminary phase and, due to investigative secrecy, could not provide more information.
He gave the same answer this early August.
"The case is in the preliminary investigation phase. Due to the preservation of investigative secrecy, we cannot make further information public," - SPAK.
So, even after two years, the investigation into the IPARD file continues to linger in the preliminary phase. No names. No arrests. No indictments.
“They force you to believe that there is no justice!” – says Romeo Nazarko, one of the first whistleblowers of the IPARD funds abuse scheme in Albania. “I filed three reports with SPAK, including IPARD, all three in my sleep,” he adds.
In 2023, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) completed the administrative investigation into the abuse of IPARD II funds and forwarded the final report, along with recommendations, to the Albanian authorities and the European Commission. In a reaction to Faktoje.al, the OLAF press office underlines that the decision-making for any further steps now lies with the competent local authorities, according to their assessment. In other words, OLAF passes the ball to our court.
"OLAF conducts administrative investigations. It is then up to the competent authorities to decide on any further action regarding OLAF's recommendations, according to their assessment. For this reason, we are not in a position to comment further, including on the details of the investigation and the evidence collected by OLAF," the OLAF press office underlines for Faktoje.al.
European money should be properly protected
Since the IPARD funds were suspended, the European Commission has repeatedly requested that the issue be treated seriously by the Albanian authorities.
For two years in a row, they have emphasized the need for corrective measures and full transparency in investigating abuses, making this a necessary condition for the resumption of funding.
The Commission is aware of an external audit that the Albanian government has contracted to verify IPARD II grants and payments, as well as the new management and internal control system. However, while bilateral procedures are ongoing, no further details are provided, and the expectation is that the matter will be resolved swiftly and responsibly.
"The European Union is ready to continue supporting Albanian farmers, the agri-food sector and rural areas in the future, provided that the financial interests of the European Union are properly protected." - a European Commission spokesperson makes it clear to Faktoje.al.
There is no date for the return of IPARD.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development declares to Faktoje.al that it "is maximally committed and is implementing an action plan with concrete measures, agreed with the structures of the European Commission."
The external audit, which according to the ministry "is in the implementation phase and its results are expected within this year," is one of the main steps for the resumption of funds.
After its completion, the ministry emphasizes that "procedures in the implementation of the Financial Framework Partnership Agreement and the Sectoral Agreement" will be carried out, which are crucial for the finalization of the Financing Agreement for the IPARD III Program and the opening of calls for applications.
But despite the efforts, there is still no concrete date for the return of IPARD funds. The ministry adds that “upon completion of the audit and fulfillment of the recommendations given, the Financing Agreement will be finalized and then calls for applications will be opened.”
However, for farmers and the entire agricultural sector, these are just steps in a process that has been dragging on for a long time. They are seeking a precise date for the resumption of financing that will give Albanian agriculture a breath of fresh air.
The IPARD agricultural support program provides grants to help the agricultural sector for all countries that are in the process of joining the European Union. Albania is one of the five countries that benefit from grant support. Through the IPARD II program, which was implemented between 2014 and 2020, Albania received over 71 million euros in funds. And while the country was waiting to start supporting agriculture through IPARD III with 146 million euros in grants, the European Commission decided to suspend it based on suspicions of corruption./Faktoje.al
