Abissnet’s contracts risk Kokëdhima’s mandate

Some important institutions financed from the state budget have purchased services from Abissnet, Koço Kokëdhima?s company, while he was still owner of them and MP. Some tribunals, municipalities, universities, medical institutions, state agencies and other institutions have purchased the services of this company, while the law prohibits the members of parliament to benefit from the properties of state or local government and otherwise, it provides the removal of mandate, as provided for in paragraph 3 and 4 of Article 70.

The Abissnet Company responded by saying that these tenders were won because it has the most advanced technologies and provides high technical standard services.

Abissnet admits that it has realized services to 46 government agencies.

Abissnet reports that Koço Kokëdhima has been shareholder until February 6th, 2014 and later his shares were sold to another legal entity.

But treasury payments show that, in one case, regarding the contract with the Municipality of Elbasan for Internet and telephony, the contract was signed in December 2013.

Abissnet insists that the company?s participation in public tenders and signing of contracts is performed after February 6th, without prejudice to any constitutional obligation. But it is not understandable how, in case of Elbasan, Abissnet has received payment on January 28th 2014.

Another case was that of the contract with Pogradec Customs Office, whose payment is made on January 23rd 2014, prior to February 6th, when, according to Abissnet Company, Kokëdhima sold the shares.

The list of payments from the treasury shows that Abissnet has contracts with several custom offices (Tirana, Korça, Pogradec), with the Ombudsman, the National Agency for Information Association, Faculty of Medicine, National Comedy Theatre, Albanological Studies Center, municipalities of Durres, Fier, Lushnja, Laç and Patos, Shkodra district, some tribunals such as the Constitutional Court, the Court of Appeal in Korça, Tirana Court, Supreme State Control and some communes and centers for the elderly or other institutions (the full list can be found at the link

http://www.spending.data.al/sq/treasury/list/faqe/1/year/2014/perf_id/AB?)

In this case, the precedent for removing the mandate is that of Ilir Beqja.

At the request of the Democratic Party, the Constitutional Court asked the Parliament to abolish the mandate of the deputy of Shkodra, after he had obtained public tenders with his company from Durres Municipality, after receiving the mandate of MP on August 1st, 2009.

Berisha warns that the same manner can be followed for Kokëdhima.

It must be seen what the Constitutional Court will rule on this case and if the majority will vote to remove the mandate to Kokëdhima if the Constitutional Court will require it.

In the case of Ilir Beqja, it was expressed against, although without taking part in the voting.