The Kosovo government is taking all legal steps concerning the theft of 2.1 million euros from the State Treasury, Minister of Finance Hykmete Bajrami told a parliamentary committee.
In her report to the parliamentary Committee for the Oversight of Public Finance, Bajrami said that neither her signature, nor that of the director of the Treasury was required for the transaction to take place, adding that it all happened through a forgery.
“Three minutes after I was informed I reported to the police. This is an economic crime committed through a cyber crime,” she stated.
“There has been unauthorized access, legal authorizations have been exceeded, and official duty has been abused and passwords [accounts] have been hacked,” she added.
Kosovo Police arrested an official of the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday for stealing €2.1 million from the Kosovo Treasury, and transferring it to a private business, whose two owners are on the run.
The Court of Prishtina decided on Thursday for the suspect to be kept in detention for one month.
The money was transferred in four installations starting on October 9, from the Treasury administered by the Ministry of Finance, through the Ministry of Infrastructure and into the accounts of a private business.
Minister Bajrami suspended the detained official and his supervisor.
