The investigation into 12 public infrastructure tenders is entering a key phase. According to SPAK’s version, the case file includes 31 defendants under investigation while remaining at liberty and only one person under arrest, while those accused include former senior officials, heads of institutions and businessmen suspected of having benefited from or influenced irregular procedures.
The case file reaching the top ranks of the former Infrastructure Ministry
At the center of the case is Belinda Balluku, former deputy prime minister and former minister of Infrastructure and Energy. According to the prosecution, she and a chain of subordinates are suspected of having favored winners in violation of equality in tenders, in some of the most important road and public projects.
The list of defendants also includes the ministry’s former Secretary General, Viola Haxhiademi, Railway Director Ergys Verdho, as well as former ARRSH heads Evis Berberi and Gentian Gjyli. On Friday, Gjyli appeared at SPAK to be formally notified of the charge.
Only one in prison, while the charges are serious
Despite the weight of the charges, only former ARRSH head Evis Berberi is being held in pretrial detention. According to the investigation, communications were discovered on his phone that the prosecution considers important to the suspected tender-related scheme.
The charges included in the file involve violations of equality in tenders, corruption, money laundering, abuse of office, document forgery and failure to declare assets. This makes the case one of the most sensitive files of recent years regarding how public funds in the infrastructure sector were administered.
Projects under investigation and business names
Among the procedures examined by SPAK are the Llogara Tunnel, segments of Tirana’s Outer Ring Road, the Albcontrol building and two lots of the Porto Romano axis. These are projects with major financial weight and direct impact on the public budget.
The list of people charged also includes businessmen such as Ram Geci, Artan Sako, Paqsor Buzi, Arbër Abazi, Pandeli Carapuli and others. Two legal entities involved in the file are “Eurocol” and “Alko Impex General Construction”.
What charges the defendants face
According to the prosecution, Belinda Balluku is suspected of violating equality in nine tenders, corruption, money laundering and failure to declare assets. Pandeli Carapuli has been charged with money laundering, while the offense of active corruption is considered time-barred. The file links this episode to the villa in Dhërmi, seized by SPAK.
Other names face different charges: Arbër Abazi for active corruption and document forgery; Paqsor Buzi, Artan Sako and Ram Geci for document forgery; Viola Haxhiademi and Ergys Verdho for abuse of office. A long list of officials and former officials are accused of tender violations, in some cases accompanied by abuse of office.
The closure of the investigation does not constitute a finding of guilt, but indicates that SPAK claims it has gathered sufficient evidence to move the case to the next procedural stage.
The weight of the file is tied not only to the number of defendants, but to suspicions that procedures for high-value public works may have been distorted by political and economic interests. It is precisely here that not only the prosecution’s case is expected to be tested, but also the way justice will handle a file that reaches the highest levels of the former government.