Two former heads of key institutions in the energy and infrastructure sector, linked to the case file on the tenders for the Llogara tunnel and Lot 4 of the Greater Ring Road, appeared again before the Special Prosecution. They are former Albanian Road Authority chief Gentian Gjyli and former KESH director Erald Elezi, who are under investigation for corruption and violating equality in procurement procedures.
New appearance at SPAK for the two former officials
Gentian Gjyli and Erald Elezi appeared once again at SPAK, while the investigations against them remain active. Gjyli stayed for about 30 minutes at the Special Prosecution and was accompanied by his lawyer.
Both had also appeared several weeks earlier as part of the same case, which concerns one of the most sensitive public procurement files of recent years.
Charges over ARRSH and KESH tenders
The former head of the Albanian Road Authority and the former KESH director have been named defendants in the SPAK case for violating equality in tenders. Each of them faces two counts of violating equality in cooperation.
According to SPAK’s version, the two former officials are part of a suspected scheme linked to how the procurement procedures were conducted for the Llogara tunnel and Lot 4 of Tirana’s Greater Ring Road.
What SPAK claims about the procurement procedures
According to the accusation, Belinda Balluku, in cooperation with members of the Bid Evaluation Commission, including Gjyli and Elezi, is suspected of having predetermined the winners of the procedures and created unfair advantages for certain economic operators.
In the case of the Llogara tunnel, SPAK includes Gjyli and Elezi among the circle of people suspected of the preferential selection of the consortium of Turkish companies. The prosecution’s claim is that the evaluation process did not guarantee equal competition among participants.
Bid difference and security measures
According to SPAK, the winning bid for the Llogara tunnel was around 180 million euros excluding VAT, while in the first tender a lower bid of around 140 million euros had been submitted. This is one of the elements that has made the case particularly sensitive for the public interest and the use of public funds.
In November 2025, the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime set the security measure of house arrest for Gjyli and Elezi. On August 21, 2026, the court eased the measures to mandatory appearance and a ban on leaving the country due to the expiry of the time limits for the security measures.
SPAK had sought prison sentences
In April 2026, SPAK sought a sentence of 1 year and 6 months in prison for each of the two former directors. Under the summary trial procedure, the prosecution also requested a one-third reduction of the sentence.
Their latest appearance at SPAK shows that the case remains open, while the real weight of responsibilities is expected to be tested through judicial review, beyond the statements and the official version of the accusation.
The case file concerns two of the most expensive infrastructure projects in the country and once again raises questions about how public tenders have been managed at the highest levels of decision-making.
Beyond the procedural moves at SPAK and the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime, what remains essential is whether the investigation will manage to clarify not only the formal violations, but also the concrete responsibility for decisions that had a direct impact on public funds.