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The complaint focuses on three specific cases: Zvërnec, Baks-Rrjoll and Divjakë-Karavasta. The complainants are asking prosecutors to determine whether legal requirements concerning territorial planning, urban procedures, environmental assessments, public consultation, administrative transparency and the protection of sensitive areas were properly followed.
Three Tourism Projects at the Center of the Complaint
According to architect Entela Spahivogli, one of the initiators of the complaint, the three cases under scrutiny are Baks-Rrjoll, Divjakë-Karavasta and Zvërnec.
The 11 complainants argue that the cases should not be treated as isolated incidents. They are asking SPAK to examine them alongside a broader chronology of legislative and regulatory changes, in order to determine whether there may have been a recurring decision-making pattern that facilitated specific tourism developments.
The complaint also asks prosecutors to assess whether such a pattern could indicate organized and sustained cooperation between public officials and private interests.
The complainants emphasize that the final legal classification of any alleged violations remains a matter for SPAK and that the material submitted is intended to provide evidence and leads for a potential investigation.
Investigations Cited as Sources and Leads
Part of the material submitted to SPAK relies on documents and investigations published by Citizens.al, including “The Albanian Files” and “Who Owns the Albanian Coast – KKTU Files.”
According to the complainants, these investigations have been used as sources and indications to identify projects, administrative decisions and procedures that they believe should be examined by prosecutors.
They are also asking SPAK not to limit any investigation to the cases already documented in The Albanian Files, but to examine other projects where similar decision-making mechanisms may have been used.
“We are doing our duty as citizens to help justice, to help SPAK do its job,” activist Andi Tepelena told Citizens.al.
Activist Ilir Xhemalaj also called for the material to be examined as quickly as possible, saying citizens have been waiting for several decisions from SPAK that he considers overdue.
Zvërnec: Tourism Development in a Protected Area
One of the cases concerns the “Zvernec Peninsula” project, which envisages tourism development in the protected Pishë-Poro-Nartë area.
According to documents previously published by Citizens.al, construction work is being carried out by Zvërnec South Adriatic Development.
Zvërnec has become one of the focal points of citizen protests, with residents and activists opposing interventions in the protected area and raising concerns about access to the coastline.
The criminal complaint asks SPAK to examine how the administrative, environmental and territorial procedures were conducted in connection with the approval of the project.
Baks-Rrjoll and the “Baks Bay” Project
The second case concerns the “Baks Bay” tourism project in Rrjoll, previously known as “Blue Borgo” and developed by Gener 2.
The project reportedly envisages 35 residential blocks, ranging from one to ten stories, across approximately 147.2 hectares between Viluni Lagoon and Rana e Hedhun. The area has been part of the protected landscape “Buna River–Velipojë.”
The project has faced opposition from local residents for more than a year, including claims concerning ownership of the land. In June, residents reportedly removed a fence installed around the area where the resort is planned.
The project was also included in Citizens.al's The Albanian Files. The complainants want SPAK to investigate not only the project's specific procedures, but also legislative changes that they argue may have opened the way for tourism developments inside protected areas.
Divjakë-Karavasta: A Long-Running Tourism Dispute
The third case concerns Divjakë-Karavasta National Park, where several major tourism projects have been proposed over the years.
One of the most prominent was the “King Coast Resort,” which envisaged a large complex containing hotels, apartment buildings and approximately 370 tourist villas, with a declared investment of around €1 billion.
The project faced opposition from environmental organizations and was ultimately rejected by the government in 2019.
The complainants argue that the broader history of proposed developments in Divjakë-Karavasta should also be examined as part of the investigation they are requesting.
What the Complainants Are Asking SPAK to Determine
At the heart of the complaint is a request for prosecutors to establish whether the procedures surrounding these projects complied with Albania's legal framework.
Among the issues the complainants want examined are:
- territorial and urban planning procedures;
- environmental assessments;
- public consultation requirements;
- administrative transparency;
- protection of protected areas;
- legislative and regulatory changes affecting tourism development;
- potential links between public decision-makers and private interests.
The filing does not itself establish criminal wrongdoing by Prime Minister Edi Rama or any other official named in it. Any criminal responsibility would have to be established through an investigation and, ultimately, by the competent judicial authorities.
For now, the 11 complainants are asking SPAK to assess the evidence and determine whether there are grounds to open or expand an investigation into the projects and decision-making processes surrounding Albania’s protected coastal areas.