On Saturday, the Democratic Party accused the government of abuses with the tender for the purchase of masks and other PPE and of covering up this abuse by classifying the tender as a state secret.
In a press conference, former Democrat MPs Albana Vokshi and Enkelejd Alibeaj claimed that the government has purchased PPE at a wholesale price at least twice higher than the market price plus customs tax. The total cost of the tender was about €3.5 million.
The same kind of face mask that would go for €3.2 in a pharmacy, the government has purchased at €6.4 a piece, from two companies, Farma Net and EuroMed.
The opposition showed a government decision that classified the contracts as state secret.
Using extraordinary secret procedure (not even single source) to buy abusive overpriced protective gear during the covid19 crisis
Contract 3,2 million € cost double of today retail prices and factual purchase
All this while the EU/US etc donate millions of € pic.twitter.com/LUJkltJEVE— Albana Vokshi (@albana_vokshi) April 18, 2020
The same practice has been followed in the purchase of single-use medical clothing, eye-protective gear, and protective headgear.
The Democratic Party demanded the government cancel the tender immediately and return the surplus payment to the state budget. “The abuse in the purchase of masks alone is worth €550,00, a sufficient sum to help 14 thousand families for a month,” Vokshi said.
