An investigation by BIRN has led to the resignation of Rrezarta Bajrami Halili, a member of the board of the Clinical University Hospital Service of Kosovo, CUHSK, from the evaluation committee responsible for selecting the new director of CUHSK.

Bajrami Halili’s resignation came after BIRN discovered that she is a friend and colleague of Greta Lila, the wife of Elvir Azizi, one of the candidates for the director position at CUHSK. Lila is also the director of the Clinical Microbiology Service at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo, UCCK, which is part of CUHSK.

Rrezarta Bajrami Halili had previously published pictures with Greta Lila on Facebook, and the two appeared to have a friendly relationship. In the photo caption, Rrezarta Bajrami Halili referred to Greta Lila as “a dear friend and colleague.”

On May 23, BIRN sent questions to Bajrami Halili regarding her relationship with Greta Lila. BIRN also inquired whether her friendship with Lila would impact her assessment during the competition process, and if she had informed the CUHSK board about her closeness with Greta Lila.

Bajrami-Halili did not respond to BIRN’s questions, but she raised the issue at the CUHSK board meeting on May 31. She referred to the questions asked by BIRN as media pressure and stated, “I faced media pressure on this issue, but a collegial body selected me as a member of this commission. I believe that my 17-years of experience as an academic staff makes me a worthy member of the evaluation committee.”

During this meeting, Naim Bardiqi, the chairman of CUHSK’s board, asked Bajrami Halili to assess whether she believed there was a conflict of interest or not. Bardiqi stated, “You can ask for an opinion. This is really a matter of perception. If you believe there is a conflict of interest, you can declare your withdrawal, and the board can replace the member [of the jury], even if it is for one interviewee.”

At the May 31 meeting, Bajrami Halili confirmed that she knows Elvir Azizi’s wife and that they are university friends. However, she added that she did not perceive any conflict of interest in this case.

BIRN also contacted Greta Lila, but she refused to comment on the topic.

The resignation of Bajrami Halili from the commission was announced during the SCKUK board meeting held on Wednesday, June 7. Bajrami Halili was not present at the meeting.

Rrezarta Bajrami Halili will be replaced by a new member, Tetore Olloni, on the board.

Article 6 of the Law on the Prevention of Conflict of Interest in the Exercise of Public Office in Kosovo states that a conflict of interest arises when an official has a private interest that affects, may affect, or appears to affect their impartiality and objectivity in performing their official duties.

According to the law, if an official suspects or finds that a conflict of interest has arisen or may arise, they must inform and consult with their manager or the governing body. The law also states that during this time, the official must suspend all actions related to the issue until a relevant decision is made.