Agim Bahtiri, a deputy from the Vetëvendosje Movement, has reacted to an article published by the Insajderi portal titled “Agim Bahtiri under investigation,” describing the material as defamatory.
Bahtiri denied abusing his official position and asked the portal, as well as journalist Visar Duriqi, to publicly apologize by October 12. If this does not happen, he announced that on Monday he will authorize his lawyer to file a defamation lawsuit.
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According to him, all the expenses presented in the article as missing funds are supported by documents and have been verified. Bahtiri said that any compensation he may receive from the legal proceedings will be dedicated to people in need or students.
In his response, Bahtiri said he had been informed about Insajderi’s publication and pointed out that the material had initially been presented as a news report, but was later deleted and remained only as an article. According to him, this shows that the portal itself was not certain about the content of the publication.
He said that from the beginning he had emphasized that no one could accuse him of abusing his official position. Bahtiri claimed that throughout his time in government, from when he was mayor until today, he had not benefited by a single cent and had spent hundreds of thousands of euros from his family’s budget.
Bahtiri added that, using his own private money, he had also built homes for many families in need in Mitrovica. He said he was giving journalist Visar Duriqi and the Insajderi portal one final opportunity to publicly apologize for what he called shameful defamation.
Otherwise, he warned that once the deadline expired, he would engage his personal lawyer on Monday and file a lawsuit against the Insajderi portal and journalist Visar Duriqi. Bahtiri accused the latter of having gone beyond his role as a journalist and of writing the article without relying on facts, but instead on someone else’s interests or needs.
The deputy said that every amount alleged to have disappeared is reflected in documents, decisions and minutes of the relevant commissions. He also addressed the purchase of an apartment for the family of Selver Haradinaj, regarding which, according to him, the article had raised suspicions about the destination of the funds.
Bahtiri said the documents prove that the apartment was paid for from the relevant fund, in the total amount of €26,071.00, on 05.11.2012, one year before he took office as mayor.
“I will not allow anyone to tarnish my name,” Bahtiri said, emphasizing that he had worked with dedication and clean hands for his country.
He reiterated that he would seek compensation from the portal and use the amount received for people in need or students. Bahtiri also recalled that during his eight years at the head of the municipality, he had donated his entire salary to these groups.
“I will see this defamation through to the end,” he concluded.
