Despite the people behind the company being declared wanted for money laundering and fraud, the government continued to pay the Tirana Incinerator scheme during the first six months of 2022, costing the public EUR 3.3 million.
The Tirana, Elbasan, and Fier incinerators were three concessions granted to companies with no capital or experience. The contracts stated that for every year, the incinerators were non-operational, and every day they did not burn rubbish, the state would pay them. This has resulted in the incinerators being largely unfinished years later and not burning rubbish, therefore benefitting from millions of public money.
The scandal, initially published by Artan Rama on Exit.al, resulted in a criminal investigation. Several people, including a former Socialist Party MP, were imprisoned, and the people behind the company were declared wanted. The government, however, has continued to pay the companies under the contract terms, saying it cannot break them.
This is even though such criminal activity would allow breaking the contract without difficulties.
Data from the Ministry of Finance on Open Data Albania showed that the Municipality made payments of EUR 3.3 million of Tirana, Durres, and Kavaja to Integrated Energy GB SPV, which was contracted to build and operate the Tirana incinerator.
Since 2018 until June this year, the state has paid €40 million to the same company while the incinerator remains unfinished and not working.
