FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
HIDAKKI, from an anti-corruption institution to a safe house for those in power
How Evgjeni Bashari and her brother Knidi turned control of assets into a political bargain, real estate agents and dirty money
The High Inspectorate for Asset Declaration and Control, instead of being a vanguard institution in the fight against corruption, has for several years become a shield for the illegal assets of those in power, products of dirty money. Referrals to the prosecution body have fallen by about 70%, a decline that is also reflected in the annual reports of the HIDACCI to the Parliament. We are not simply dealing with the failure of an institution paid for by Albanian taxpayers and for which the US and the EU have invested millions of euros. The HIDACCI has itself become a den of corruption and bargaining, where asset investigations are closed through interventions, friendships, brokers and payments.
There is a tacit and stable consensus among the party groups that make up the political dome of Tirana for the degradation of the HIDAKKI. This degradation has been entrusted to Ms. Evgjeni Bashari, who was previously the secretary of the former mayor Shkëlqim Ganaj. The latter referred over 500 files for concealment of assets and money laundering to the prosecutor's office, although over 90% of them were closed, since the SPAK had not yet been established.
But Ganaj was replaced by his secretary. It was a consensus of Edi Rama, Sali Berisha and Ilir Meta to turn the HIDAKKI into their anteroom through Evgjeni Bashari. And that's what happened. For five years at the head of the HIDAKKI, Bashari has blocked investigations and has not referred any senior official to SPAK for concealing assets and money laundering.
The connecting link between corrupt officials and Mrs. Bashari for the blockage and degradation of the HIDACCI is learned to be her brother, Knidi Bashari, in the role of mentor and broker. His weight increased in 2020, after his sister was elected head of the HIDACCI. In fact, Knidi Bashari is also considered the real chairman of the HIDACCI. Any official who has a problem with hiding assets is put in contact with Knidi Bashari, who offers a "solution" against corruption fees.
Knidi Bashari, a former senior official in the Ministry of Finance when Arben Ahmetaj was minister, invests the money gained from this corruption scheme with the HIDAKKI, which is run by his sister, in real estate and in companies listed by the FBI for computer crimes.
In addition to seizing the HIDAKKI and turning it into a profit-making instrument, Knidi Bashari also began knocking on the doors of public institutions, presenting himself as an advisor to the Prime Minister for digitalization, a position that provided him with access and cooperative relationships with leaders and heads of institutions, as the digitalization of services is a priority for the government.
His penetration and movements through the offices of institutions, as "Rama's advisor", are reminiscent of the famous story of Grigori Rasputin. By disguising himself as an advisor to the prime minister and as the man to "solve problems" with the HIDAKKI, Bashari is suspected of having significantly increased his income, which he has circulated through his companies.
Bashari turns out to be a co-owner with 45% of the shares in the company "KEMINET", which operates in the provision of internet services, the design of private and public communication networks, i.e. in a field that directly coincides with digitalization.
In 2016, the Albanian Prosecutor's Office received a request from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States of America, which requested cooperation in the context of an investigation launched into a suspected computer crime. The company "KEMINET", with administrator and co-owner Knidi Bashari, was suspected of involvement in this illegal activity.
The registered letter that arrived in Albania stated that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the U.S. Department of Justice, together with the FBI, were investigating violations of U.S. criminal laws through unauthorized access to computer networks, interception of user credentials, coordinated attacks to block services, and the creation of infection mechanisms.
Preliminary investigations had revealed that one of the addresses associated with this malicious application led to a server located in Albania. The address was registered with the following details: Knidi Bashari, Keminet LTD.
While Albanian law enforcement institutions responded positively to the FBI's request for cooperation, Knidi Bashari served as advisor to the Minister of Finance.
Subsequently, Bashari, in addition to his public function, role as a realtor and false advisor to Edi Rama, increased his shares in the company "KEMINET", which also began to benefit from public funds through tenders, in an open conflict of interest.
Currently, Knidi Bashari holds the position of Chairman of the Economic-Financial Administration Board of Albanian Radio-Television./ Pamphlet
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