On Thursday, the Albanian parliament rejected the opposition report alleging potential corruption with waste incinerators at the highest government levels, and approved a second one by the ruling majority claiming a successful reform in waste management.
A parliamentary committee inquired for more than three months into three waste incinerator contracts awarded to private companies starting from 2014.
The committee headed by opposition Democratic Party MP Jorida Tabaku called a number of senior government officials to testify, including Prime Minister Edi Rama, who all stressed that they had meticulously followed the laws and whatever abuse of office in the process was the responsibility of individuals.
Tabaku’s report maintains that contracts for incinerators amounting to at least €430 million in public money were awarded to the same people without competition, in violation of several laws, and in coordination with number of ministries and other agencies.
The opposition alleges that the process could only be advanced with the approval of the prime minister, and that the group of officials conducting the corruptive affair amounts to a “structured criminal group”, a special designation under the Albanian law for severe criminal activity.
Prime Minister Edi Rama focused his 10-hour testimony on denying the existence of such a “structured criminal group”.
In the 120-page-long report, Tabaku claims to provide evidence for legal violations, abuse of office, corruption schemes, tax evasion schemes through a network of fake companies, and money laundering schemes.
A list of 50 officials and company employees will reach the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK) with the report, despite the vote against by the Socialist majority, who voted in favor of a second report written by their MPs in the committee of inquiry.
The Socialists’ report praised the government reform in waste management. The majority accused the opposition of trying to divert public attention from its internal strife by making up a corruption scheme. MP Ermonela Felaj, the deputy head of the committee, highlighted that opposition allegations do not prove the existence of a structured criminal group.
SPAK has already launched investigations into all three incinerator contracts in Elbasan, Fier and Tirana.
The opposition maintains that this will be SPAK’s chance to prove that the Albanian justice reform was not completely controlled by the Socialist majority. They insist the alleged corruption scheme was controlled behind the curtain by the prime minister, and was implemented by several ministers and other senior officials.
Read more: Government Officials Defend Waste Incinerators in Parliament Testimonies
