Fiks Fare/ "They are lying to us day by day", how thousands of farmers of the semi-state company are being deceived to get the money

2023-05-10 22:11:50, Denoncim CNA

Fiks Fare/ "They are lying to us day by day", how thousands of farmers

Thousands of farmers from the district of Korça, Elbasan and Berat are waiting to receive the money of their hard work and sweat from "Mika Korça", a semi-state company, whose leaders have disappeared without a trace.

Fiks Fare journalists traveled to the villages of Pogradec, Maliqi and Korça, at the request of dozens of residents who complain about the tobacco collection company, which has not given them money for many years.

This problem has been addressed many times in the Fiks Fare show, starting from 2017, but it has not yet received any solution.

The first denunciation was made in 2017 in Belsh, where 2000 farmers complained that they had not received the money from the sale of tobacco from the company, where the Ministry of Economy is also a shareholder with about 40% of the shares. Meanwhile, in December 2020, Fiksi returned to this problem, in the village of Poceste in Maliq, who complained about the same problem. In this chronicle, the former Prefect of Korça Dhori Spirollari promised a quick solution. Fiksi also broadcast the complaint of the farmers of Kalivaç village of Pogradec in December 2021, while the institutions again promised that "there will be a solution in 3 months".

Fiks Fare/ "They are lying to us day by day", how thousands of farmers

But how does this solve the problem?! Almost 1 year and a half after this promise, the farmers have not yet received a solution. Dozens of affected residents complained to the newsroom of the investigative show, who make the same appeal again; give us the money, the company is state-owned! Fiksi talked to dozens of farmers from the village of Pocestë in Maliq, who say that they have a lot of different things to get from the company "Mika Korça".

According to them, the problems started in 2016 and 2017, where after having deposited considerable amounts of tobacco in this company, they did not receive the money of their hack and sweat. Someone has 50 thousand new lek, others 100 thousand lek, others 500 thousand or even 700 thousand. According to them, in all of Albania, in 3 districts of Berat, Elbasan and Korçë, there are about 3000 farmers without receiving the money.

According to them, they have gone dozens of times, but they have never received the money back, although they were promised that they would. "We understand why they lie to us. They tell us you will get them, that the state has 40% of the shares, but we never get them" they say. They made endless letters, deposited them with the firm but still not a penny. According to the KKB extract, the state has about 40% of the shares, the other shares a Greek company. In the extract there is also a phone number, where the journalists tried to connect on the phone, but a person answers and says "I don't know why they gave me this number, I have no connection with 'Mika Korça'".

Fiksi calls several other numbers that have been responsible, but no one answers. Journalists also went to the "Mika Korça" building in the city of Korça, but it was closed and the only ones breathing were a few dogs.

Fiks Fare/ "They are lying to us day by day", how thousands of farmers

After this "darkness", the journalists together with a farmer went to the Prefect of Korça. In the previous chronicles of Fiks, the former prefect Dhori Spirollari had promised to solve this problem, as he would also talk to the Ministry of Finance and Economy. But, even after this promise, the farmers have not received the money.

Journalists tried to interview the new Prefect, Nertil Jole, but he was not in the office. Employees of the Prefecture show a long correspondence between the Prefecture of Korça and the Ministry of Economy.

The letters have started since 2016 until today. But not a penny is being given.
In a document, the ministry says that: "It has followed with concern and continuously the difficult economic-financial situation that 'Mika Korçë' is going through, where MFE is a shareholder with 37.98% of the shares.

MFE has requested the Court of Korça to start the company's bankruptcy proceedings. After the court's assessment of the declaration of bankruptcy, the latter appoints the bankruptcy administrator, which will be the structure that will start the sale of all the company's assets for the liquidation of creditors, and therefore we conclude towards a final solution to this situation.

There is no legal space for the minority state partner to speed up the procedure of appointing the liquidator, as this case is already in court".

So no solution! "I understand why they lie to us, you will take them, you will take them! When they won't give us anything. They are our work and sweat, and as long as the state is behind, they should return our money. We have no business with courts, auctions or others. We only want our money" says the farmer./ tch