Former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj commented to News24 on the concept behind the state-owned company KAYO, raising allegations of a lack of transparency and tender procedures in the selection of private partners.
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Ahmetaj said that KAYO’s model envisages the creation of a company by the Albanian government, which then enters into joint operations with private entities.
“We are talking about the KAYO concept. The Albanian government creates a company, and then this company enters into joint operations with various private entities. The selection of private entities without transparency and procedures without tenders. Let us add two more major evils: the state remains with 20%. KAYO has been turned into an assistant supplying money from the state budget, without tenders, to all the ventures created below,” Ahmetaj declared.
Referring to News24’s forced eviction, Ahmetaj described the situation as a form of retaliation against the media and accused Prime Minister Edi Rama, whom he referred to as “the head of the Organization.”
“The first is the criminal corruption affair in which the state relinquishes its assets in favor of private entities, and the second is retaliation against your media independence. Retaliation by the head of the Criminal Organization, who has done little to you despite the independence you have. It is direct retaliation in the eyes of Albanians and the entire world. He has done little to you, and do not be surprised by what he may do until the day he does. Albanians do not count for the head of the organization; you do not count,” Ahmetaj said.
Ahmetaj went on to say that the forcible removal of News24’s staff from the building where it had operated for many years was deliberate and intended by the head of the government to set an example.
