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Latest Investigations from Kosovo

salary-for-mayor-s-widow-causes-confusion
15 May 12 / 11:41:52

‘Salary’ For Mayor’s Widow Causes Confusion

The widow of the murdered Mayor of Suhareke has continued to receive his salary since his death in 2002 - while their widows of mayors receive nothing, Balkan Insight has discovered.

black-market-in-heart-of-government
11 May 12 / 08:12:45

Black Market in Heart of Kosovo Government

Former employees of the Government’s catering service claim they worked without contracts, paid no tax and were forced to work illegally long hours.

from-pasture-to-power-neighbourhood
11 May 12 / 08:09:45

Kosovo: From Pasture to “Power Neighbourhood”

In four years, agricultural land on the edge of Pristina, owned by an elderly Serb farmer, has been transformed into one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the country, soon to be home to Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, former Interior Minister Zenun Pajaziti, alongside a host of other top businessmen, politicians and public figures.

thaci-s-brother-builds-multi-million-residential-complex
27 Apr 12 / 06:16:37

Thaci’s Brother Stands to Earn Fortune From Flats

A construction firm part-owned by the brother of Kosovo's Prime Minister is on the verge of completing a big residential development that is expected to earn a handsome profit of up to 4 million euro.

kosovo-officials-stay-hooked-on-luxury-cars
19 Apr 12 / 09:49:50

Kosovo Officials Stay Hooked on Luxury Cars

Despite a pledge to slash the use of ministerial cars and cut fuel costs, spending on luxury cars and travel continues to rocket.

kosovo-mayor-s-funders-demand-their-payback
05 Apr 12 / 13:30:40

Kosovo Mayor’s Funders Demand Their Payback

Businesses that funded the mayor of Prizren’s election campaign in return for the promise of tenders accuse him of reneging on his pledges, an investigation has revealed.

kosovo-signs-second-us-lobbyist-for-50-000-a-month
03 Apr 12 / 15:20:28

Kosovo Signs Second US Lobbyist for $50,000-a-Month

Hashim Thaci’s government has signed up its second Washington-based lobbyist in less than a year at a cost of 50,000 dollars a month.

kosovo-fritters-away-shrinking-science-budget
14 Mar 12 / 14:47:38

Kosovo Fritters Away Shrinking Science Budget

Money set aside for scientific advances in Kosovo has fallen sharply in recent years – and much of what remains has disappeared on foreign research trips and the printing of patriotic novels, Balkan Insight has discovered.

kosovo-steel-plant-linked-to-russian-oligarch
08 Mar 12 / 10:14:12

Kosovo Steel Plant Linked to Russian Oligarch

Balkan Insight can reveal that Jeton Sadiku, new owner of Kosovo’s Llamkos steel plant, had close ties to one of Russia’s richest oligarchs, and may have been ineligible to buy the facility.

kosovo-mayor-earns-fortune-from-free-gift
01 Mar 12 / 09:31:50

Kosovo Mayor Earns Fortune From Free Gift

Blerim Kuci, a senior Kosovo politician, has generated more than 3 million euro from an apartment block built in Suhareka public land and given to him for free in unclear circumstances. 

kosova-petrol-occupying-croatian-property
21 Feb 12 / 16:47:31

Kosova Petrol “Occupying” Croatian Property

Lobbying by Croatian leaders and legal action have failed to prise more than 20 petrol stations away from Kosova Petrol, owned by a former advisor to PM Hashim Thaci, and back to its pre-war Croatian owners, INA.

landmark-kosovo-hotel-sits-on-usurped-land
24 Jan 12 / 10:45:23

Landmark Kosovo Hotel Sits on ‘Usurped’ Land

Businessmen Bedri Selmani and MP Shaip Muja, both former advisors to Hashim Thaci, are accused of usurping prime real estate in Pristina.

kosovo-turns-blind-eye-to-illegal-mosques
12 Jan 12 / 10:01:14

Kosovo Turns Blind Eye to Illegal Mosques

Kosovo’s municipal authorities continue to ignore the growing number of illegally built mosques, which now total more than a hundred.

kosovo-tax-dodgers-flourish-in-corridors-of-power
21 Nov 11 / 10:31:06

Kosovo Tax Dodgers Flourish in Corridors of Power

A café in parliament, a restaurant owned by the Deputy Prime Minister Behgjet Pacolli’s family and another owned by the family of a senior figure in the governing party, Shaip Muja, are among the thousands of companies that are breaking the law by not properly declaring taxes.

the-rule-of-law-in-kosovo-mission-impossible
17 Nov 11 / 09:08:19

The Rule of Law in Kosovo: Mission Impossible?

The EU’s rule-of-law mission in Kosovo is failing to prosecute key figures accused of corruption and organised crime because of political interference and fears that putting too much pressure on Pristina could spark inter-ethnic violence, say campaigners.