Public Property Auctioned Without Competition By-Passing off the Electronic Procurement System

Over the past ten years, 41 municipalities in the country have auctioned or leased 6 350 hectares of public land, pastures and forests for use by private businesses. These auctions have been conducted by passing off the transparent competitive procedures, without being carried out through the Electronic Procurement System of the Public Procurement Agency. Approximately 750 public properties have been transferred for private use through…

Asset Declarations on the Spending Data Albania Database Watchdog for Integrity

The AIS organization (promoter of Open Data Albania) has added, published this week new annual asset declarations to the Spending Data Albania database. This is an important step in the process of promoting transparency and monitoring the wealth and economic interests of high-ranking state officials MP, Members of our Government, High level Prosecutors and Judges. Accessibility of Asset Declarations: In this database, asset declarations of…

Briefing Report on Workshops Series of Civil Society Organizations (CSO), Media Representatives and Parliamentary Staff

On March 17, AIS organized a discussion meeting titled ‘Briefing Report on Workshops Series of Civil Society Organizations (CSO), Media Representatives, and Parliamentary Staff‘, aimed at sharing the key findings and outcomes of the workshops held in the framework of the project. This event was held within the framework of the project “Increasing Parliament’s Responsiveness to Citizens’ Concerns”, supported by the British Embassy in Tirana…

Applications Open for Internship and Training through Open Data, 4th Edition (April – October 2025)

OpenDataFellowship – Youth Empowerment Against Corruption 2025 AIS, the organization promoting Open Data Albania, invites students and activists who wish to participate in an Internship and Training Program on Open Data usage to apply for the OpenDataFellowship – Youth Empowerment Against Corruption 2025. The internship is open to university students from the fields of Economics, Journalism, Law, and Social Sciences. Additionally, we welcome non-student youth…

Training for Parliamentary Staff was held on 27 and 28 February 2025

On February 27–28, AIS organized a workshop with representatives from the Parliament Administration, focusing on citizen participation, monitoring, and dialogue during the drafting and reporting of public finances. The workshop also served as a follow-up to a previous event held in 2024, titled “Oversight of Public Finances: The Role of Parliament, Institutions, and Civil Society.“ This event was held within the framework of the project…

Event: Oversight of Public Finances – The Role of Parliament in the Fiscal Autonomy of the Local Government Units in Albania

On January 31st, AIS organized a Conference entitled “Oversight of Public Finances – The Role of Parliament in the Fiscal Autonomy of the Local Government Units in Albania“. This event was held within the framework of the project “Increasing Parliament’s Responsiveness to Citizens’ Concerns”, supported by the British Embassy in Tirana and implemented by a consortium led by IDM in partnership with Citizens Channel and…

Transparency with Beneficial Ownership: Issues of Legislation, Practice, and Empowerment of Actors Working for Transparency

AIS, the promoter of Open Data Albania, is actively working to enhance transparency in Beneficial Ownership and the Public Access Registry. Recognizing the crucial role investigative journalists play in uncovering and tracking cases of money laundering, corruption, conflict of interest, and undue influence, AIS’s team of experts and data analysts has worked to increase capacities and knowledge. Participants: Investigative Journalists, Activists, and Representatives from Non-Governmental…

Corruption in Tendering. The Prime Minister proposes the use of AI, the opposition recommends AIS’s Open Procurement Albania platform, a high-tech tool where 40% of procedures are identified as risky

The Prime Minister has proposed an Anti-Corruption Reform introducing the use of Artificial Intelligence in Public Procurement. The Parliamentary opposition, represented by Jorida Tabaku, MP and Chairwoman of the Incinerator Investigative Committee, suggested that the Government should, instead, use the platform Open Procurement Albania, a technological tool created by the organization AIS, aiming to identify corruption cases in tendering. The MP Tabaku shared her statement…

Youth Hearings on the Budget in the Municipalities of Berat and Has

As part of the implementation of the project “Youth Activism for Good Governance in Berat and Has Municipalities. Instilling Watchdog and Activism Culture” AIS organization has worked with 44 young participants to strengthen their capacities in monitoring, analysis, advocacy, and participation in fair municipal budgeting. In December, the month when Local Government Units finalize their budgets, youth consultation meetings were held in the municipalities of…

Payments for Classified (Secret) Contracts by AKSHI: 6.64 Billion ALL Over Six Years

Classified contracts involve the procurement of services or equipment where, due to national security considerations, the state authority refrains from issuing public announcements or publishing related data and contract drafts. Such contracts, conducted as closed procurements without open competitive bidding and restricted to a predefined group of contractors, can often be associated with challenges to competition and transparency. The only available information on these contracts…

Instill Watchdog Culture – Training on Monitoring Public Spending and Procurement in Local Governance, Berat

📍Location: Hotel Portik (Conference Room), Berat🗓 Date: December 21, 2024🕙Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM On December 21, 2024, AIS – promoter of Open Data Albania organized a training and workshop focused on Strengthening the Culture of Monitoring, with a particular emphasis on Monitoring Public Spending and Contracting in Local Government Units. This activity was held as part of the project “Youth Activism for Good…

Instill Watchdog Culture – Training on Monitoring Public Spending and Procurement in Local Governance, Has

📍Location: YES Centre Has, New Municipality Building, First Floor🗓 Date: December 18, 2024🕙Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM On December 18, 2024, AIS – promoter of Open Data Albania organized a training and workshop focused on Strengthening the Culture of Monitoring, with a particular emphasis on Monitoring Public Spending and Contracting in Local Government Units. This activity was held as part of the project “Youth…

Roundtable: State Budget and Public Finances in Election Years and Election Periods – Legal Regulation, Institutional Practices and the Need for Intervention and Improvement

On December 13, AIS organized a roundtable discussion on the topic: “State Budget and Public Finances in Election Years and Election Periods – Legal Regulation, Institutional Practices, and the Need for Intervention and Improvement.” This roundtable is organized as part of the 6th Edition of the Week of Integrity and is implemented within the framework of the project: “EU4 Rule of Law: Citizen Engagement for…

Workshop organized by AIS, topic: “Civil Society and Parliament in the Process of Drafting, Consulting, and Approving the State Budget

On November 27th, the organization AIS, a leading advocate for Open Data Albania, hosted a training session for local organizations, activists, and journalists on the topic: “Civil Society and Parliament in the Process of Drafting, Consulting, and Approving the State Budget.” The event was part of the project “Increasing Parliamentary Responsiveness to Citizens’ Concerns,” supported by the British Embassy in Tirana and implemented by a…

Collaboration with Institutions. There has been public pressure for investigations and audits of reported high-risk cases.

The High State Audit (ALSAI), in preparing its Annual Audit Planning Methodology document, published in March 2024, (page 7), listed AIS’s Open Data platforms – Open Procurement Albania and Open Spending Albania – as sources contributing to the collection of information and alerts during the drafting it’s the Annual Audit Plan. Throughout 2023–2024, data on high-risk procurements has been exchanged. This means that tenders marked…