UNMIK/PR/882
Monday, 2 December 2002

UNMIK Police investigate Public Housing Enterprise for possible fraud

Pristina - Based, in part, on information arising out of the on-going investigations into the activities of municipal corruption and organized crime links, UNMIK Police have begun an investigation of alleged corruption within the Public Housing Enterprise.

On 30 November 2002 UNMIK Police, in close cooperation with the Office of the International Prosecutor in Pristina, the Pristina Municipality and the Kosovo Trust Agency, executed search warrants at the offices of the Public Housing Enterprise in Pristina and several other locations.

"Among other things, it was learned that the Enterprise had registered itself as a private business, had obtained shares in banks and had failed to provide any revenue collected during the last three years to the Pristina Municipality or any other governmental organization entitled to receive revenues raised through the management and leasing of socially-owned residential and commercial properties" said Derek Chappel, UNMiK Police spokesperson.

At this stage, no arrests have been made. However, the Director of the Public Housing Enterprise has been suspended pending the criminal investigation. This investigation is expected to continue for several months.

We urge all those with information concerning this or any other corruption to contact the Police. It is only through the involvement of individual citizens that the police will be able to attack the problem of corruption both in the international community and the local organs of government.