The Chairman of the Democratic Party Parliamentary Group, Gazment Bardhi, has accused the government from the Parliament's rostrum of abusing IPARD funds, provided by the European Union to support agriculture in Albania.
Bardhi stated that he has at his disposal a list of names of mayors and deputies of the Socialist Party, who, according to him, have illegally benefited from funds intended for Albanian farmers, passing them into the hands of their family members.
He announced that the Democratic Party will submit within a week an official request for the establishment of a parliamentary investigative commission, with the aim of clarifying this issue.
"The motion was about farmers and he only spoke here for 5 minutes about farmers. Taulant cannot talk about IPARD funds and farmers. Come out here and explain why you don't want to talk about why the EU has blocked millions of euros that go to Albanian farmers. We are the only country whose funds have been blocked because this government has also stolen European taxpayers' money.
Within the week we will file a request to establish an Investigative Commission on this issue. We will verify how Suel Çela's father took the money of Albanian farmers. The Elbasan farmer did not take the money, but Suel Çela's father took it. A man declared wanted. We did not want to do politics on this issue, but we have a duty to reflect, discuss and hold accountable how the trust of European institutions has been violated by the government.
"I have a long list of how your mayors, how the families of SP MPs have taken IPARD funds, have taken the sweat and toil of farmers. We demand the establishment of a Special Commission to guarantee the EU that IPARD 3 money will not be stolen," said Bardhi.
