There were some strange “coincidences” surrounding the contract and the start of the construction of the Pristina-Skopje highway. First, the contract was signed on the day that the Constitutional Court announced its ruling on who should have the first try at forming the new government. Second, the construction of the highway begins one day before the United States of America celebrate 4 July. Third, could this be Thaci’s last “gift” to his supporters in the U.S., including former U.S. Ambassador to Pristina, Chris Dell, who now works for Bechtel-Enka? Dell was also involved in the appointment of Atifete Jahjaga as president of Kosovo. At the time, Dell received harsh criticism from civil society and media in Kosovo and from European countries. His actions were criticized albeit in private by European diplomats in Pristina. After making Jahjaga president and helping form the Thaci 2 government, Dell was appointed ambassador at the NATO Central Command for Europe in Stuttgart, Germany. He retired a year later and was immediately employed as a consultant by Bechtel-Enka. His employment was also criticized, but Dell’s successor in Pristina, Tracy Jacobson, reacted to this saying that it is “normal” practice for former U.S. diplomats to be employed after retirement.
An international source in Pristina told Gazeta Blic that Dell has been invited to attend the start of the construction of the Pristina-Skopje highway. The highway will be built by Bechtel-Enka, the same consortium that built the highway leading to Albania. Officials close to outgoing Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci, said they have no information about the invitation.
The source also said that the invitation was sent to Dell and that it is a public secret among diplomats in Pristina that Dell is behind the initiative. “Hashim Thaci is fulfilling his obligation exactly at the time of clashes for the establishment of the new government. But what Thaci seems not to understand is that after this project he will have nothing else to offer to the Americans. It will be interesting to see if Americans will support Thaci or if they will ignore him during the establishment of the new government. Europeans have already made their decision and their American partners in Pristina and Washington know this,” the source said.
Opposition parties and civil society have rejected the signing of the €600 million deal between the government and Bechtel-Enka. Agron Demi, executive director of Pristina-based GAP Institute, said state prosecution should not allow the deal to be signed before clarifying many doubts over the deal with the same company for the construction of the highway leading to Albania. Abdullah Hoti, senior official of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said the deal should not have been signed in times of transition. Vetevendosje’s Visar Ymeri also rejected the government’s decision to sign the contract.
