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From incinerators to the arrests of officials/ The FH report evaluates the work of SPAK

2024-04-11 08:09:00, Aktualitet CNA

From incinerators to the arrests of officials/ The FH report evaluates the work

The FREEDOM HOUSE report has evaluated the work of SPAK.

According to the report, SPAK has been fighting corruption, investigating affairs and imprisoning high-ranking officials.

"Public procurement contracts for the construction and operation of waste incinerators for the cities of Tirana, Fier and Elbasan have become a controversial political issue in Albania in 2023, as SPAK investigations revealed that the contracts were awarded to companies with no prior experience in waste management but close ties with senior government officials.

In August, SPAK ordered the seizure of the company building the Tirana incinerator for allegedly bribing some public officials to win the contract, and charges have since been filed against a number of senior officials connected to the contract.

SPAK sentenced former environment minister Lefter Koka to six years and eight months in prison for corruption in September, for his role in awarding a public procurement contract worth around $30.5 million (to build a waste incinerator in Fier during Koka faces similar charges for a $23.5 million contract for the incinerator in Elbasan.

SPAK built its impressive track record of fighting corruption by accusing several powerful political figures in 2023, such as Vangjush Dako, the former socialist mayor of Durres, of abuse of office and corruption.

The US State Department had sanctioned Dako for similar reasons in 2019.

In July, SPAK asked the parliament to remove the legal immunity enjoyed by the former Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj as a current deputy in order to arrest him on corruption charges for his role as a minister in awarding public contracts to waste incinerators in bribe exchange. However, before the parliament could act, Ahmetaj left the country.

In August, SPAK accused former Deputy Health Minister Klodjan Rrjepaj and three other officials of corruption for rigging the tender process for a $110 million public procurement contract for the purchase and sterilization of medical equipment awarded in 2015.

 SPAK also accused the former Minister of Health, Ilir Beqaj, in November for the role he played as minister in the alleged manipulation of the contract.

The Hashtag Initiative (Nisma Thurje), a youth movement that has since become a political party, launched a campaign in 2019 to raise awareness against Beqaj's alleged corrupt practices;

Since then, the movement's leader, Endri Shabani, has received threats and verbal attacks and has been the target of a negative media campaign by media close to the government.

In October, SPAK accused Berisha of abuse of office and corruption for illegally helping his son-in-law to privatize public property as part of a real estate deal. Berisha refused to commit to the courts and on December 30 he was placed under house arrest.

"Since Berisha was accused, his supporters and the faction of the Democratic Party that he leads have launched an all-out campaign of intimidation and disinformation against SPAK judges and prosecutors," the report states./ CNA





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