Safet Gjici Returns to Public Procurement Debate as His Family-Linked Company Wins 269 Million Lek Tender in Vlora

In Albania, the distance between political scandals and public contracts often appears shorter than expected. A new tender in Vlora has brought the name of former Kukës Mayor Safet Gjici back into the public debate after a company administered by his brother, Lavdrim Gjici, became part of the winning consortium for a major public project, as local media reports.

 

Gjici, who was sentenced to three years in prison for passive corruption and abuse of office, was released on health grounds in May 2025. Shortly afterward, the company Kevin Konstruksion, currently managed by his brother, became involved in another significant public procurement procedure.

The Municipality of Vlora announced the consortium APIS CONSTRUCTION & KEVIN KONSTRUKSION as the winner of the tender for the construction of the Civil Emergency Operations Center. The contract had a limit fund of 288,559,870 lekë without VAT, while the winning offer was 269,123,172 lekë without VAT.

According to available procurement data, three operators initially participated in the procedure. ARKONSTUDIO did not submit the required documentation and financial offer, while RAFIN COMPANY was excluded due to missing documentation. As a result, only the winning consortium remained in the final stage of the competition.

The tender was classified with a “Red Flag” by Open Data Albania, which raised concerns related to limited competition, the exclusion of other bidders, and the elimination of the lowest offer.

Beyond the competition process, questions have also been raised regarding the technical capacity of the winning companies. Kevin Konstruksion reportedly has an average workforce of around 63 employees, while the project is estimated to require approximately 81 workers, without considering the company's other ongoing contracts.

Additional attention has focused on APIS CONSTRUCTION, which had recorded financial losses in its 2023 balance sheet, although this did not prevent the company from participating in the winning consortium.

The case has reopened discussions about transparency, competition, and verification of technical and financial capacities in Albania's public procurement system.

While the tender was officially awarded according to the procurement procedure, the circumstances surrounding the competition and the involvement of a company linked to the Gjici family continue to raise questions about the effectiveness of oversight mechanisms in major public contracts.