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Thousands of farmers from all over Albania have entered the “race” to benefit from reimbursement schemes, from oil, greenhouses, or compensation for cows and sheep. However, having a large number of applications, not everyone will win, while in these schemes “win” those who apply first or the richest.
The schemes have become exclusive to a large number of farmers, to those who have family problems with property, to those who have less than 10 cows, or more than 50 cows, to those who then have more than 100 sheep and goats or those having more than 300 sheep or goats.
If a farmer wants to win the construction scheme of a new greenhouse, he must have at least 100 million old lekë, as the state has laid a floor for the construction of 1 hectare of greenhouse. But, the state reimburses only 50 percent of the value, as the farmer must have 50% of the other value. This scheme totally favors the richest, or businessmen, and not ordinary farmers!
However, the most common scheme this year is oil refund, or free oil! A few months ago, Prime Minister Edi Rama said that free oil schemes have been opened, where a limit fund has been set to cover the reimbursement of farmers. The scheme was opened on 25 February 2022 and currently the closing deadline has been extended to 30 March 2022. But, as the application has a deadline, hundreds of thousands of farmers have turned to the agriculture offices in their districts to apply.
The editorial office of the show “Fiks Fare” received several videos from the offices in Lushnje and Fier, where hundreds of citizens were queuing to apply. After the complaint, the journalists of the investigative show first went to the city of Lushnja, the city which has the largest number of applications in Albania. Journalists went at 07.30, where they found dozens of farmers in front of the directorate door. The farmers said that they have been to these offices since 06.00, since a large queue is being created. They complain that they are spending several days dealing with letters, either to the Directorate of Agriculture, to the Taxes or to the Administrative Units. They even have to fill out and scan a range of documents from the property certificate or AMTP, a family statement, tax receipts or NIPTI number applications. These documents are similar to what citizens do to open a business!
“I have been wandering here and there for three days. Why does the Municipality not know how much land I have, they take my land taxes. “Why don’t we do them there, we have to come to this directorate” says one of them, while another claims that some farmers stay at the main entrance and others “enter through the back door”.
For these queues or wanderings, the journalists of Fiks Fare talked to Mr. Eltinor Mahmutaj, who is the director of AREB, Lushnje, which covers three regions, Fier, Vlora and Gjirokastra. He says oil is free.
But not free for state coffers! According to a document available to Fiks Fare, the Ministry of Agriculture has so far opened a tender with the object “purchase of fuel for the farmers’ reimbursement scheme” with a fund of 6.5 million euros. The tender, according to the documents, was to take place on March 11. But, with the price increase, so far there is no information whether or not this tender has been made. In the accompanying documents, the Ministry of Agriculture requests 4.8 million liters for 12 regions in Albania.
“Thousands of people have applied and, after the applications, we will look and verify every name,” says the director, while it is justified that there is no queue in the building in Lushnje. But, one of the farmers intervenes and tells him that he has 3 days in a row and has not received any service yet!
After the situation in Lushnje, the journalists of Fiks Fare, travel to the Regional Agency of Agricultural Extension in Fier, where there are still dozens of people standing in line. In this directorate, the day before the Fix camera went off, hundreds of people were standing outside the building to receive service. Farmers said they have gone to several institutions to open nephew numbers, applications. “We applied for years but got nothing. They left us dry. “Even this year, we do not know how much they will give us,” they say, as they wait their turn.
Journalists asked Mr. Eltinor Mahmutaj what schemes are currently open and whether everyone benefits. The director of the Regional Agency for Agricultural Extension Fier, Vlora and Gjirokastra said that 13 schemes have been opened, for new greenhouses, for reimbursements for two-thirds of greenhouses or even for cows and sheep. Asked which farmer benefits, he said those with 10 to 50 cows. Excluded are those who have less than 10 cows and more than 50 cows. For sheep and goats said they benefit from 100-300 heads. Those who have more or less are excluded. But, this scheme also has a feature, which benefits those who apply first. A “lottery” for farmers, but that director Mahmutaj says that “since there is a fund, if this fund is exhausted, then the scheme is called complete.” But a similar scheme could be for the cap, as so far, the government has allocated $ 14 million. And, if this fund is exhausted, then others are excluded.
But, in addition to these funds, the government has allocated other millions of euros for systems that do not go to farmers, but are part of “agricultural funds”. A few days ago, the National Agency for Information Society, opened a tender with the object “improvement of the information management system for the IPARD program”, for ARDA with the funds of the State Budget. According to this document, the limit fund is 2.1 million euros without VAT. The tender will take place on April 8, while it will be implemented for 9 months!
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