The Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime imposed a preventive seizure on several bank accounts and sums over 200,000 dollars, belonging to former minister Ilir Beqaj and five of his associates, which are described as “proceeds of the criminal offense”. in the case of abuses in the SASPAC Agency with EU funds.
In addition to the amounts seized in current accounts, time deposits and cash coins of the persons under investigation Ilir Beqaj, Gazmend Haxhia, Elton Marini, Ermal Kurtullaj, Bledar Leka and Bjona Zijaj, with this decision over 19 percent of the shares of the commercial company “Albanian Food and Hospitality Services” sh.pk, as well as three vehicles owned by Kurtulaj and Marini.
The Special Prosecutor's Office against Corruption and Organized Crime is continuing its investigations into persons or other criminal facts for criminal proceedings no. 190 of 2023, where the six people involved so far are suspected of active and passive corruption of high state officials, non-declaration and concealment of assets, fraud and violation of the equality of participants in public tenders and auctions”.
Former Minister of Health Iir Beqaj is in prison custody, while the Special Court of Appeal rejected his request for a lighter security measure in exchange for financial guarantees at the beginning of this month.
He headed the Foreign Aid Coordination Agency (SASPAC) from 2021 until last November when he resigned, when SPAK suspects that he was involved in a corruption scheme for benefits from the funds of this agency.
Mr. Beqaj was arrested in July alongside two close associates Ermal Kurtulla and Afred Nikolla, while four other associates were given lighter security measures.
The Special Prosecutor's Office suspects that during the years 2022-23 the then head of SASPAC Ilir Beqaj, in cooperation with Kurtullaj, carried out “fictitious procurement procedures contrary to the regulations”, while listing at least eight services procured “with irregular procedures and with predetermined winners”.
Mr. Beqaj is suspected of hiding his interests in the “Gzona” restaurant in the center of the capital, where, according to investigations, the money illegally obtained from the organization of activities was transferred in the form of payments for services.
From the investigations, it is suspected that the restaurant was also used as a place where activities were held, which were not declared, then using the names of natural persons or companies, which issued fictitious invoices for the expenses incurred in this restaurant.
This is the second case for which former minister Beqaj is being investigated by SPAK. The other issue, where he is accused of “misuse of duty”, is related to the 10-year concession for the sterilization of surgical equipment, for which the former Deputy Minister of Health Klodian Rrjepaj and entrepreneur Ilir Rrapaj, who was a partner with 40 percent of the shares, were arrested of the company winning the concession of nearly 100 million euros.
