Another company from Serbia in the Government's contract for animal waste, Peci: No, I didn't know about it

An investigation aired on Friday sheds light on the background of the investors who won the contract from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development for the functionalization and operation of the factory facility for processing animal by-products.

KallxoPërnime has uncovered a scheme to hide the true owners of one of the companies that won the contract with the Ministry of Agriculture. The company that had 30% of the shares of the Kosovar company that signed the contract with the Ministry of Agriculture was registered in Podgorica, Montenegro, however, the medium has found that its parent company is in Belgrade and the owner is a Serbian citizen.

The exclusive file reveals details of how the businessman with Serbian citizenship withdrew from the investment a few days after the government signed a contract with the consortium that won the contract.

KallxoPërnime's research revealed that the company, a few days after winning the contract for processing animal by-products, decided to sell its shares for just 3 thousand euros.

The file reveals that the company based in Podgorica and Belgrade sold 20% of the shares to the company "Arches Bau", which has shareholders from Kosovo and North Macedonia, and 10% of the shares to Naser Maloku.

In a conversation, Faton Peci, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, is challenged with the ownership transactions of this company and the stock movements that took place in the past. In a long interview, Minister Peci gives his explanations about the award of the contract for the functionalization of the factory facility for the processing of animal by-products.

"No, I didn't know, this is the first time I'm hearing from you. I don't know any of the owners, it's not up to me to reveal the consortium's documentation," declares Minister Peci.

"Ragipović, this one seems to be Bosnian, I don't know..." - declares Peci when asked about the businessman with Serbian citizenship, Muamer Ragipović.

The contract for the use of the factory for processing animal waste was signed by Minister Faton Peci following a decision that the Government of Kosovo took in January 2025. The contract was awarded to the company “LIP KS & IT” LLC.

The investigation also sheds light on the past of the family members of one of the shareholders from Kosovo who was involved in the 'Brezovica affair'. Details about the accusation and the connections of this family with the suspicions of bribery for the former mayor of Štrpce, Branislav Nikolić.

Contract history

The Food and Veterinary Agency (FVA) had published two announcements, on 19.07.2024 and 18.09.2024, in which it requested interested parties to apply for the contract for the functionality of the factory for the processing of animal by-products.

Five days after the second public call was published on the FVA website, the company “LIP KS & IT” LLC was registered with the Kosovo Business Registration Agency (KBRA).

The registration file reveals that the company was initially founded by three shareholders, Naser Maloku, as managing director, and two other companies, "MR & MNE" DOO with an address in Podgorica, Montenegro, and "LIPITALIA 2000" SPS with an address in Rosta, Italy.

According to data provided by KALLXO.com, the owner of the company "MR & MNE" DOO with an address in Podgorica, Montenegro, is another company named "MR & Co doo" with headquarters in Belgrade, Serbia, which is owned by Serbian citizen Muamer Ragipović.

Muamer Ragipović also appears as a director in the company "MR & MNE" DOO with an address in Podgorica, Montenegro, which had shares in the Kosovo company that signed the contract with the Ministry of Agriculture.

The company "MR & MNE" DOO, owned by Muamer Ragipović, withdrew from the business that won the contract from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development on 20.02.2025, 1 month and 10 days after the contract for the factory was signed.

The value of the shares of the company “MR & MNE” DOO was 30% in the Kosovo registered company “LIP KS & IT” or in the amount of 3,000 euros. The shares were transferred to Naser Maloku and the company “ARCHES BAU” Sh.PK, a company which would later merge into the ownership of the company that had won the contract from the Ministry of Agriculture.

According to public data, the company "MR & MNE" DOO has only one employee in Podgorica, while there are four employees at "MR & Co doo" in Belgrade.

Since 04.04.2025, the medium has sent requests to the Veterinary and Food Agency to request access to documents and information about the factory, which has not been operational for a long time.

The medium found that the process for granting use to this factory had begun on 19.07.2024 by the Food and Veterinary Agency.

Five months later, on 09.01.2025, the Government of Kosovo decided to approve the use of land and a factory for the processing of animal by-products.

The next day, on 10.01.2025, Faton Peci, in his capacity as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, signed the contract entitled "Functionalization of the facility for the processing of animal by-products".

The winner of the contract was announced as "LIP KS & IT" LLC, which was granted the right to operate for 20 years, counting from 2024 to 2044, with the possibility of extension.

According to the contract, the company is obligated to pay a rent of 30 thousand euros per year, which amounts to 2 thousand 500 euros each month.

Article 4 of the contract also provides for the company's subsidy for each kilogram collected and processed.

“The subsidy for each ton collected will be in the amount of 0.16 cents per kilogram (1 kg),” the contract states. The animal by-product processing plant began construction nine years ago.