Artan Ajruli, the owner of the Kumanovo-based company Ritron Kopi, has been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into the State Lottery of North Macedonia, Radio Free Europe (REL) reports.
Ajruli’s arrest is linked to tenders awarded for the purchase of televisions by the state-owned joint-stock company. The Financial Police are examining whether the televisions delivered by Ritron Kopi meet the specifications outlined in the contracts.
The police have been inspecting deliveries from Ajruli’s company to ensure the televisions align with the brand specifications in the contracts. Four months ago, investigators also examined other tenders related to marketing and promotions linked to Ritron Kopi.
REL reported last year that a tender worth approximately €205,000 was awarded to AP Solutions, a company whose owner, Flamur Nevzatovski, had previously been employed by Ritron Kopi. AP Solutions was the only competitor in the tender.
Public records revealed photographs from 2016 of Artan Ajruli and Përparim Bajrami, who did not hold any position in the State Lottery at the time. However, it was found that after Bajrami became the director of the State Lottery in January 2022, Ritron Kopi won several tenders.
Bajrami and former Deputy Prime Minister Artan Grubi are wanted internationally on suspicion of “embezzling illegal assets” from the State Lottery.
The Public Procurement Bureau has confirmed that the State Lottery entered into six contracts with Ritron Kopi for the purchase of televisions, computer equipment, multifunctional devices, and graphic design stations. These contracts, valued at €365,252, were signed between June 2022 and October 2023. After Bajrami’s departure, the State Lottery terminated the contracts and stopped using the company’s services.
