Balkan corruption: Mercedes-Benz sends a message to Kosovo on corruption

Mercedes-Benz sends a message to Kosovo on corruption

18/02/2012

The German car manufacturer said it will not deal with the Kosovo government through contractors.

By Safet Kabashaj for Southeast European Times in Pristina — 18/02/12

Mercedes-Benz cancelled a contract to sell vehicles to the Kosovo government via in-country contractors, citing widespread corruption. Now, if the government wants to purchase vehicles it must negotiate directly with the luxury automaker’s headquarters in Germany, Mercedes-Benz said.

The decision prompted a widespread debate about Kosovo’s tarnished reputation, as well as the government in Europe’s poorest country’s need to purchase expensive cars.

Mercedes-Benz contractors in Kosovo, such as DTBH GmbH, denied the veracity of the media report, and said they will continue to sell cars to institutions as well as individuals.

But the German manufacturer confirmed the decision to SETimes.

“We decided to do business with government institutions … only through direct transactions in a number of countries, including Kosovo,” Daimler AG Communications Senior Manager for Integrity and Legal Affairs Ute Wuest von Vellberg said.

This year, the government allocated 3m euros for purchase of vehicles, contrary to Prime Minister Hashin Thaci’s promises to drastically reduce vehicle expenses.

Transparency International listed Kosovo as 112th out of 183 countries on its world corruption list in 2011, falling two spots from the year before.

Most bloggers say they view the government practice as contributing to waste and corruption, as well as to widening the gap between citizens struggling to make ends meet and officials’ lavish lifestyles.

“This is our leaders’ biggest concern, not the poverty and unemployment in Kosovo,” Erenik summed up the bloggers’ exasperation about the officials’ demands to be driven in luxury cars.

Musa agreed, but argued the German car manufacturer’s decision does not address the government’s excesses. “If officials can not be driven in Mercedes, they will be in Audis, but they will not walk,” he said.

Nehat discusses German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s likely impressions during her recent visit to Kosovo and contrasts the German officials’ practices. “She witnessed that all Kosovo government officials have Mercedes, while there are officials in her government riding bikes,” he said.

“Imagine Kosovo’s reputation, one of the world’s most prestigious companies does not allow a government to buy its vehicles,” Artani said, expressing the public’s concern about corruption affecting potential investments.

Some bloggers, however, argue that vehicle purchases are a legitimate expense and moreover, Kosovo should reciprocate with Mercedes-Benz. “The government is in a position to get revenge and expel Mercedes from Kosovo [altogether], because we have a state now,” Ali said.

The company’s decision is not logical from a business standpoint, said Mergimtar. “It is in the interest of each company to sell its products,” he said, and with this move, Mercedes-Benz is doing the opposite.

………….

http://www.setimes.com/

“Mercedes” konfirmon sanksionet për Qeverinë kosovare
10 Janar, 2012 | Postuar në: Rajoni | Shkruar nga: TemA Online
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Gjiganti gjerman i automobilave “Daimler” konfirmon edhe zyrtarisht se kompanitë private(përfaqësuesit e autorizuar) nuk mund t’iu shesin vetura “Mercedes” nëpërmjet tenderëve publikë institucioneve të Kosovës prej janarit 2012.

Konfirmimi nga prodhuesit e veturës “Mercedes” ka ardhur vetëm disa ditë pasi që gazeta “Zëri” kishte shkruar se tash e tutje veturat mund të blihen vetëm me një leje të posaçme nga prodhuesi, ose në negociata të drejtpërdrejta me përfaqësuesit e kompanisë nga Gjermania.

Një vendim të tillë “baba” i veturave simbol të kualitetit dhe qëndrueshmërisë e ka marrë për shkak të shkallës së lartë të korrupsionit në Kosovë, të cilën gjë e potencon edhe “Transparency International” në raportet e publikuara.

Ute Ëest von Vellberg, menaxher i lartë për komunikime, integritet dhe çështje ligjore në “Daimler Ag” në Shtutgard të Gjermanisë, ka theksuar për gazetën “Zëri” të hënën se kompania e tyre aderon në mënyrë strikte dhe në përputhje me parimet e integritetit në të gjithë botën…

http://www.gazetatema.net

Mercedes sanktioniert seine Kosovo Geschäfte, wegen total Korruption der Regierung>
 

Dieser Eintrag wurde am 19.2.2012 um 19:21 verfasst und befindet sich in Economy - Wirtschaft. Sie können alle Antworten zu diesem Eintrag über den Feed RSS 2.0 mitverfolgen. Hinterlassen Sie eine Antwort oder einen Trackback-Link zu Ihrer eigenen Homepage.