The €365 million, 35-year concession for Albania’s Milot-Balldren road corridor has returned to the public spotlight amid questions surrounding the winning consortium and ongoing investigations by Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SPAK).
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The contract was awarded by Albania’s Ministry of Infrastructure to a consortium made up of Salillari, ALB TIEFBAU, InfraKonsult and ERALD-G.
However, two administrators of companies within the winning consortium reportedly appear in investigative files being handled by SPAK, adding new scrutiny to the project.
Questions have also been raised over the transparency of the concession. Public procurement records reportedly contain the consortium’s name and the estimated contract value, but do not provide key details such as the final contracted price, the share distribution among the four companies or the financial plan submitted by the winning bidder.
The Milot-Balldren project also has a controversial history. In 2018, the concession was awarded to A.N.K., but the agreement was later cancelled following findings by Albania’s Supreme State Audit Institution (KLSH) concerning irregularities in financial documentation and the inability to meet financing requirements.
Eight years later, the project has returned under a new consortium, but with fresh questions surrounding its legal, financial and transparency aspects.