Not only with IPARD in agriculture or FRONTEX for border management from the European Union... Albanian institutions have also abused World Bank funds. This is the conclusion reached by the Supreme State Audit Office after audits at the General Directorate of Financing and Contracting for donor funds.
"The audit found that in the WB project contracts, the objectives were reduced in the foreseen objectives, without being argued by the beneficiary. The responsible structures of the CFCU did not appear to have identified, reported or taken measures regarding these deficiencies found during this contract."
The SAI's audits found a series of violations that led to unfair profits and significant economic damage.
"From the audit of the physical files of projects selected under the IPA programs and those of the WB and other donors, it was found that these files as a whole contained irregularities in the way they were maintained, and the inventory sheet for each respective file was missing."
Due to irregularities and negligence, Albanian institutions and citizens themselves have lost out.
The audit found that due to delays in the procedures for approving the final narrative reports, the period for which the payment was planned is postponed to the next year, resulting in a breach of contractual payment deadlines compared to the terms/time limits predetermined in the contract; the burning of VAT funds for the year according to which they were budgeted, thus creating a blockage of funds that could have been used for other payments or investments.
From the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime to the Supreme State Audit or the Financial Intelligence Agency. Albania is trying, through the engagement of these institutions, to "repair its image" in the eyes of the European Union in order to regain the latter's trust and financial support.
The Ministry of Finance has drafted and put out for public consultation the National Anti-Fraud Strategy for the Protection of the Financial Interests of the European Union, 2025-2030. (A2 Televizion)
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