PTK CEO accused of corruption

Reuters reports that a Kosovan special prosecutor has filed an indictment against the CEO of Post & Telecom Kosovo (PTK) and four others for ‘damaging’ the company as foreign bidders compete for a controlling stake. The charges against Shyqyri Haxha, board chairman Rexhe Gjonbalaj and three other persons from an unnamed private company comes just days after Kosovo shortlisted two bidders – Deutsche Telekom’s T-Hvratski and Telekom Austria – for a 75% stake in PTK. ‘The charges against Shyqyri Haxha and Rexhe Gjonbalaj are: entering into harmful contracts, abusing official position and misuse of economic authorisations,’ said Blerim Krasniqi, a spokesman of the European Union Justice Mission, or EULEX. Those indicted are not part of the commission reviewing the bidding documents for the tender, but the fresh revelations might prompt the bidders to adjust their financial offers and economic plans for PTK. The main charges are thought to focus on the award of a licence to local telco Dardafon to operate as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) over PTK’s Vala-branded wireless network.