The former owner of the cable operator – Lika d.o.o. from Zvecan, Žarko Derikravić went on a hunger yesterday, as announced, in protest of the fact that two years ago, the Tax Administration allegedly confiscated more than 310,000 euros from him illegally. This institution has denied Derikravić’s allegations.
Žarko Derikravić is the former owner of the company Lika d.o.o. – a cable operator from Zvecan. The company operated from 2013 until December 10, 2019, when a contract was signed on the transfer of full ownership to the company MTS d.o.o. for 1,200,000 euros.
According to Derikravić, however, on April 6, 2022, the Tax Administration of Kosovo withdrew money from his account allegedly without any written notification, added value-added tax (VAT) and capital gains in the amount of 313,000 euros, and informed him about it two months later.
Derikravić, as well as his representative Halil Voca, claim that the money was withdrawn from the account illegally on the account that the sale of shares is a financial transaction that is exempt from VAT, and that the Tax Administration in Mitrovica thus committed a criminal act.
The director of the Tax Administration in Mitrovica later denied Derikravić’s allegations in a statement for KoSSev. He emphasized that this was not a unique case, and that this institution “committed no injustice“ against Derikravić.
In a statement for KoSSev, the Derikravić’s representative, Halil Voca, then denied the Tax Administration’s allegations.
At the end of January, it was announced that Derikravić would go on a hunger strike in front of the Tax Administration in South Mitrovica, with the aim of getting his money back.
He also announced the possibility of not going on a hunger strike if he were to meet with the director of the Tax Administration in this town, which happened in the meantime.
At the meeting with the director of this institution, Besim Halilaj, at which Derikravić was not allowed to be accompanied by his lawyer, he was told that the money withdrawn for the purposes of the VAT was carried out in accordance with the law.
Although the meeting did not bear fruit, Derikravić gave up on the hunger strike, and then addressed the director of the Tax Service with a request for a meeting, as well as his deputy. That request also remained unanswered.
Derikravić states that he is convinced that the Tax Service of Kosovo violated the law, but also that they will not return his case for review.
“They don’t like the fact that I’m not of Albanian ethnicity. On that occasion, they discriminated because, I believe, this was done on purpose and politically,“ he said.
He announced again this weekend that he will go on hunger strike from Monday, which he started yesterday at 10 am, his legal counsel, Halil Voca, confirmed for KoSSev.
Voca said that he first informed the Kosovo Tax Administration, Quint embassies, the media in Kosovo, the Kosovo Ombudsman, and the Government of Serbia.
The lawyer emphasized that the Kosovo Ombudsman has not yet sent anyone from his office to check or provide support to his client.
Voca also elaborated on his client’s condition during the second day of the strike.
„The doctor’s examination was carried out properly, but they did not want to be filmed for their safety. Mr. Derikravić has elevated blood pressure, his glycemia level is 8.2 and he has tachycardia. We will inform the public about his further condition,“ Voca told KoSSev.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
