PD, accusations about the Llogara tunnel/ "It cost the Albanians 28 million euros per kilometer"

2024-08-10 11:47:00, Politikë CNA

PD, accusations about the Llogara tunnel/ "It cost the Albanians 28 million

Spokesperson for Anticorruption in DP, Genta Vangjeli

The Democratic Party has denounced this Saturday the lack of quality in the works carried out in the Llogara tunnel.

According to the spokeswoman for Anticorruption in DP, Genta Vangjeli, abuses with the construction of the tunnel have cost Albanians at least 28 million euros per kilometer.

According to Vangjeli, in this tunnel there is also a lack of monitoring of the implementation of the project, which is undoing the environment and the beauty of the area, as the inert remains of the tunnel lie along the side of the mountain, destroying the vitality of the area's wild vegetation.

Full statement:

It is not the first time that the Democratic Party denounces the affair of the construction of the customized Llogara Tunnel, part of Edi Rama's strategic businesses.

Today we will list a series of violations, abuses and thefts for this tunnel:

PD, accusations about the Llogara tunnel/ "It cost the Albanians 28 million

The feasibility study carried out during the Berisha government with a value of 1 million euros did not work for Edi Rama, who in 2020 approved with VKM the review of the feasibility study and the drafting of the detailed engineering project "Construction of the Llogora tunnel". with a full estimated value of 7.5 million euros.

PD, accusations about the Llogara tunnel/ "It cost the Albanians 28 million

After the contracted consortium realized the amended project, the first tender was announced for the "Construction of the Llogara Tunnel" for which the Albanian company with the initials GJ.K... was ranked first with the lowest bid according to the declarations of former no. 2 of the Government.

But surprisingly, CA MIE did not declare it the winner but canceled the procedure on the grounds that none of the submitted offers comply with the criteria defined in the tender documents.

PD, accusations about the Llogara tunnel/ "It cost the Albanians 28 million

The procedure was re-announced for the second time, concluding with the winner and the contract concluded on November 8, 2021 with the merger of operators consisting of two Turkish companies. INTEKAR YAPI TURIZM ELEKTRIK INSAAT SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI and ASL INSAAT TAAHHUT VE SANAYI TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI with representative Abdulkadir Kart, the latter a former deputy in the Turkish parliament and a close friend of President Erdogan.

PD, accusations about the Llogara tunnel/ "It cost the Albanians 28 million

Review and evaluation of offers

AK MIE announced the winner of the offer of the Turkish consortium worth 200 million euros with VAT or about 12 million euros higher than the offer with the lowest price, a difference which creates economic damage for the state budget.

CA MIE did not evaluate the procedure according to the offer with the lowest price but according to the most economically favorable offer based on cost.

The winner was declared as such in the absence of the competition, i.e. without any other qualified competitor present.

CA MIE announced the winner by creating reasonable suspicions of the lack of presentation of the equivalent professional license for foreign operators, a service which from January 1, 2020 was only offered electronically on the e-albania portal against the deadline of 38 days, while the deadline for the preparation and submission of offers was 35 days from the announcement. (tender announcement June 24, opening of offers July 28)

PD, accusations about the Llogara tunnel/ "It cost the Albanians 28 million

The implementation of the works was carried out by an Albanian company and it is not known in what capacity....

AK MIE in the publication of the notice of the signed contract in bulletin no. 167, dated November 22, 2021, did not complete the format according to the required standard, nor did it notify any subcontractor in this publication, neither name nor address, but only noted the data of the Turkish consortium in the capacity of contractor.

If this Albanian entity that participated in the implementation of the works was a subcontractor, then the subcontracting should have been declared in the submission of offers in accordance with the tender documents Appendix 8, Self-declaration form part 1 point B: DECLARATION For subcontractors and entities in capacities , of which the Economic Operator will be supported as well as LPP article 126 point 1 and VKM article 89.

The former number 2 of the Rama government stated that the Albanian company implemented the contract for the construction of the Calgara tunnel to the extent of 100% and the Turkish contractor was not invested in these construction works at all.

If this has happened, it is a violation of at least article 126 point 2 of the LPP and article 89 of the resective VKM on the rules of public procurement, which, among other things, states:

In no case should subcontracting exceed 50% of the contract value.

PD, accusations about the Llogara tunnel/ "It cost the Albanians 28 million

Addition of 50 million euros:

The depositions of the former No. 2 of the Arben Ahmetaj government are confirmed by the Supreme State Audit, in which it is cited that ZVK Balluku, through Normative Act No. 17 dated December 1, 2022 and Normative Act No. 19 dated December 29, 2022, approved changes in the state budget to add 50 million euros to the ministry he led himself.

The High State Control has concluded that the approval of normative acts was done beyond the deadline and without detailed analysis.

According to Article 101 of the Constitution of Albania, "The Council of Ministers, in case of need and emergency, under its responsibility, can issue normative acts that have the force of law, for taking temporary measures."

The use of normative acts for purposes that are not related to emergency needs created as a result of pandemics, energy crises or natural disasters create doubts about their true purpose.

The auditors found partial payments of invoices, contrary to law no. 9936 dated 26.6.2008 "On the implementation of the budget system in the Republic of Albania", amended." and one of the payments was made precisely for the construction of the Llogara tunnel.

According to spending data, the Turkish company "INTEKAR - ASL" represented by Abdulkadir Kart, the former deputy and friend of President Erdogan, until July 17, 2024, was paid 178 million Euros by the Ministry of Infrastructure for the construction of the Llogara tunnel.

PD, accusations about the Llogara tunnel/ "It cost the Albanians 28 million

The tender for the supervision of the tunnel works

The tunnel was built at a cost of 28 million euros per km.

While the supervision was won by a union of operators, part of which was the company Net Group shpk in the shadow of the former Director of ARRSH Evis Berber, who together with the owner in papers of this company were arrested for corruption and money laundering. The supervision contract cost about 1.9 million euros.

Although the tunnel is open for use, it is not known if the works have been taken over by the CA and their approval has been completed in fulfillment of legal obligations before the opening for use of the infrastructural works.

PD, accusations about the Llogara tunnel/ "It cost the Albanians 28 million

Violation related to Environmental Violation

What is easily noticeable to those who visit this tunnel is the lack of monitoring of the implementation of this project, which is undoing the environment and the beauty of the protected area of ??the Natural Park in the Llogara part. The tailings of the tunnel lie along the mountainside destroying the vitality of the area's wild vegetation.

PD, accusations about the Llogara tunnel/ "It cost the Albanians 28 million