A Kallxo.com investigation revealed that Ministry of Agriculture officials in Kosovo made undocumented cash payments to a private company for the decoration of a traditional dinner event. Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister arranged for several official dinners to be held at his brother’s restaurant.
An investigation by BIRN and Internews Kosova’s Kallxo.com, aired on May 25, uncovered apparent financial misconduct within Kosovo’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Development, including off-the-book cash payments to a private company for event decoration services and the use of public funds for official dinners held at a restaurant owned by the Deputy Minister’s brother.
This new revelation follows a Kallxo.com investigation, aired on May 16, which uncovered a web of irregularities linking ministry officials to questionable contracts and led to additional whistleblower reports exposing further financial irregularities within the ministry.
At the request of the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office and under a warrant issued by the competent court, police conducted raids at the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday in connection with a questionable procurement contract uncovered by the May 16 Kallxo.com investigation.
During the production of the May 16 broadcast, two additional whistleblower reports were submitted to Kallxo.com, revealing separate financial mismanagement cases within the same ministry.
The first case involved a state-funded dinner, “Darka e Lamës,” hosted by Minister Peci on December 2, 2024, costing over 16,000 euros. A further 5,575 euro invoice for event decoration submitted by a private company, without formal contract or procurement procedure, was ultimately withdrawn. The company owner later confirmed that the services were paid for in cash by a ministry official in a parking lot.
The second case implicates Deputy Minister Lazar Radulovic who has reportedly dined at least nine times on state funds in a restaurant owned by his brother.
Irregular spending on “Darka e Lamës” event
“Darka e Lamës” (the Harvest Dinner) held on December 2, 2024. Photo: Agriculture Minister Faton Peci’s Facebook account”
A whistleblower report submitted to Kallxo.com points to serious irregularities in payments related to the “Darka e Lamës” (Harvest Dinner), a large traditional dinner organised by the Minister for Agriculture Faton Peci on December 2, 2024.
The event, previously hosted by the Office of the President, was being held by the Ministry of Agriculture for the first time and reportedly cost the state budget over 16,000 euros.
“Kallxo Përnime” discovered that a key invoice related to event decoration, worth 5,575 euros, was initially submitted to the ministry by the company “Fiorista” Sh.P.K., but was later withdrawn.
Further investigation revealed that the Ministry had never conducted a public procurement procedure for these services, in violation of procurement laws that require competitive processes and formal contracts for any such expenses.
In a statement for Kallxo.com, the owner of “Fiorista,” Andi Belegu, said that the order was made directly through Minister Peci’s cabinet, specifically by his chief of staffFlutura Mustafa, over the phone.
“The request came from the minister’s cabinet. All communication was through Flutura,” Belegu declared.
Belegu also confirmed that the payment for the decoration service was made in cash.
According to him, a person named Shkëlzen from the Ministry of Agriculture met his associate Sabina Karisik in a cafe parking lot in Prishtina to hand over the money.
“In the end, that payment was for our work. What they got up to after that—we don’t care. But yes, the payment was done in cash,” Belegu added.
During a meeting with the “Kallxo Përnime” team, Flutura Mustafa admitted that no procurement procedures had been initiated for the event, but refused to give an interview on the matter.
In a written statement, the Office of the Prime Minister distanced itself from the organisation of the event.
“As you know, ‘Darka e Lamës’ was organised by the Ministry of Agriculture. The Office of the Prime Minister was not involved in organising the event and has no knowledge of the procedures,” government spokesperson Përparim Kryeziu declared.
Evidence indicates that the ministry placed an order with a company without a contract and later accepted an invoice that was never officially paid, as doing so would have been a legal violation.
According to Belegu, ‘to avoid legal enforcement, the company accepted a cash payment.’
Deputy Minister dines at brother’s restaurant using public funds
The second report received by Kallxo.com involves Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Lazar Radulovic, who allegedly held official government lunches at a restaurant owned by his brother, Nebojsa Radulovic.
“Kallxo Përnime” found that since his appointment on January 14, 2023, Radulovic dined at his brother’s restaurant, “Ciao” in Llapnasellë/Lapla Selo (Gracanica municipality), at least nine times using public funds. The total sum of these expenses amounts to 1,249 euros.
Descriptions of the invoices allege that the meetings included officials from Montenegro, Members of Parliament, and diplomatic representatives. When asked for an explanation, Radulovic defended his decision, citing cost-efficiency.
“Unfortunately, in Gracanica there are only two restaurants with the level of quality and service appropriate for hosting guests. We save between 30 and 40 euros per meal at ‘Ciao’… The only reason we go there is to save money,” he concluded.
English version prepared by Ardita Zeqiri