By decision of the GJKKO, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Belinda Balluku, has been suspended from duty and banned from leaving the territory of Albania.
The court’s decision, announced on Thursday, assesses that against Balluku and her two subordinates, Gentian Gjyli and Erald Elezi, there is a concrete risk of departure, repetition of the criminal offense and interference with the evidence of the investigation.
The Special Court announced that the security measures are secret and that there is currently no official announcement for the media and the public. “At the appropriate procedural moment, you will be officially notified by the court,” the press office announced.
But on the other hand, the court decision has been leaked to the media, according to which the GJKKO has imposed prohibitive measures because there is a risk of the defendants’ departure, based on the sanction provided by the law for the criminal offense they are suspected of, which provides for one to five years of imprisonment.
The decision emphasizes that the risk is increased by the fact that the defendants are suspected of committing this offense twice and in collaboration, as well as by the possibility of committing similar offenses due to their state duties and management of public funds.
The court also assessed that there are important reasons that may affect the taking and verification of evidence, including the risks that the defendants may interfere with or obstruct the investigation due to their duties.
Two weeks ago , Balluku was indicted on charges of violating the equality of tenders during the construction process of the Llogara tunnel. SPAK claims that she monitored and controlled every step of the project, worth around 190 million euros, and predetermined the winner in violation of standard public procurement criteria. The project is considered one of the most expensive in the country’s infrastructure in the last five years.
In addition to the suspension from duty and the ban on Balluk from leaving the country, the security measure of house arrest has been imposed on the administrator of KESH, Erald Elezi, and the director of the Albanian Road Authority, ARRSH, Gentian Gjyli. According to SPAK, the security measures were executed on Thursday.
The prosecution explains that investigations have identified violations of the equality of participants in tenders and public auctions, within the framework of two important procurement procedures.
In the tender for the construction of the Llogara Tunnel , part of the Orikum-Himarë road section, with a limit fund of more than 18.9 billion lek excluding VAT, conducted by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, illegal actions of the defendant Belinda Balluku have been identified, who in her capacity as Minister of Infrastructure and Energy has continuously followed and guided the procedure of this public procurement, from the preparatory phase to the moment of concluding the contract with the winning economic operator.
“Defendant Belinda Balluku, in collaboration with members of the Bid Evaluation Commission, defendants; Evis Berberi, Gentian Gjyli, Erald Elezi, Jetmira Dervishi and Mirzeta Kashnica, have predetermined the winner of this procurement procedure, have created unfair advantages and privileges for the union of the winning economic operators ‘I….and A…..'”, the announcement states.
It is also explained that at the time of the commission of the acts, the defendant Evis Berberi held the position of General Director of the Albanian Road Authority; Erald Elezi was the Director of the Directorate of Strategic Planning and Operations at the Albanian Road Authority; Gentian Gjyli was the Director of the Directorate of Construction and Maintenance at the Albanian Road Authority, while the defendants Jetmira Dervishi and Mirzeta Kashnica were high-level specialists at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy.
The second tender in which Balluku was found responsible is that of Lot 4 of the Tirana Outer Ring Road in 2021, with a limit fund of 2 billion lek excluding VAT, developed by ARRSH. According to SPAK, it has resulted that in this case too, Balluku has consistently followed and guided the procedure of this public procurement developed by ARRSH, an institution subordinate to the ministry she heads.
In this case too, Balluku is accused of having, in collaboration with Berber, three members of the procurement unit, citizens J.Ç, AK and D.Xh, as well as members of the Bid Evaluation Committee, Erald Elezi, KK and M.Sh., predetermined the winner of the tender by creating unfair advantages and privileges for the union of economic operators declared winners.
During a parliamentary session held on Wednesday, Balluku stated that the accusations against her are baseless.
“I need to say a few words, not to compensate for the mud, innuendo, half-truths, and lies spoken in abundance these days, but for the obligation I have to anyone who believes in work and not mud,” she said from the Assembly podium.
RRKOKSH (Rrjeti për Raportimin e Krimit të Organizuar dhe Korrupsionit në Shqipëri), organizata juaj kryesore mediatike investigative e angazhuar për të hedhur dritë mbi krimin e organizuar dhe korrupsionin në të gjithë Shqipërinë. Nëpërmjet platformës sonë online në shteg.org, ne ofrojmë një gazetari të plotë dhe me ndikim që synon jo vetëm të informojë, por edhe të nxisë ndryshimet shoqërore.
