PLUG INVESTIGATION/ Millions of Euros of IPARD for Construction Companies and Criminal Groups Linked to the Government

2025-10-02 10:40:00, Denoncim CNA

PLUG INVESTIGATION/ Millions of Euros of IPARD for Construction Companies and

The above names are just some of the names of politicians or people closely connected to politics who have benefited from hundreds of thousands of euros in IPARD funds. Below we will show you how people from the criminal world or beneficiaries of public tenders have also put their hands on the taxes of European citizens, a gift to Albanian farmers.

The company Albgarden SHPK, owned by Pjetër Trashaj, has received 48 thousand euros in funds from AZHBR. According to the AZHBR announcement, Pjetër Trashaj has received funds to invest in agricultural mechanics.

PLUG INVESTIGATION/ Millions of Euros of IPARD for Construction Companies and

But while AlbGarden has been raking in farmers' money, Pjetër Trashaj's company is one of the beneficiaries of public tenders, receiving hundreds of thousands of euros for flowers. This company has often been under accusation, even after Pjetër Trashaj's son, a former employee at the Ministry of Environment, signed tenders for his father's company.

COMPANY RIVIERA 2008 LLC, another construction company, owned by Agim, Pëllumb, Kujtim and Viktor Kola, is one of the largest beneficiaries of IPARD funds. Investment in the construction of a warehouse with an area of ????2,282 m2 including 13 cold storage rooms for the collection, selection, packaging and storage of fruits and vegetables. The data shows that this company has benefited from 810 thousand euros of funds from IPARD, although it also benefits from dozens of public tenders every day, which we will talk about in the next show.

PLUG INVESTIGATION/ Millions of Euros of IPARD for Construction Companies and

Apostol Xhaferri, a builder from Skrapar, and his family have benefited from hundreds of thousands of euros from IPARD.

The company "GOLDEN BEES" sh.pk (formerly "BLETA E ARTË") was founded in October 2018 by Apostol Xhaferri. His daughter, the current administrator of the company, has benefited from 154 thousand euros for the construction of a winery. And as if this were not enough, Apostol himself, also talked about in the media, has benefited from 202 thousand euros of funds from IPARD. In this case, father and daughter received 341,494 euros from IPARD through newly created companies.

PLUG INVESTIGATION/ Millions of Euros of IPARD for Construction Companies and

ZDRAVO SHPK is another construction company that has come close to the threshold of around 1 million euros in benefits from IPARD funds. This company, currently owned by several people, has benefited from a full 981 thousand euros in funds from IPARD. The investment consists of purchasing a complete line for processing tomatoes, chestnuts, and peppers with a capacity of 1-2 tons per hour, tripling the capacity before the investment. And as if receiving funds that should have gone to farmers were not enough, ZDRAVO LLC is also one of the favorite companies of socialist mayors for public tenders. This company has received more than 70 tenders with payments of over 15 million euros from the state budget to date.

Not only politicians and entrepreneurs, or people in power, but also listed persons have benefited from funds from the AZHBR and IPARD programs.

Suel Çela's father, Petrit Çela, has benefited from national programs of around 150 thousand euros for the construction of the market in Elbasan.

PLUG INVESTIGATION/ Millions of Euros of IPARD for Construction Companies and

The media have also denounced other names. Arbër Çekaj, who is in prison for cocaine trafficking through bananas from Latin America, according to the media has benefited from 264 thousand euros in EU funds. Agron Metvelaj has also benefited from funds from AZHBR and IPARD, although he was a listed person.

These are just some of the officials or people with criminal records who have extorted money from farmers. In the next episode, we will show you that their list is larger, and within it there are public figures from political or public life. And for the injustice they have done to Albanian farmers and citizens, we will also bring you pictures of the paradise they have built with your money! See you next Wednesday!