Top Story Investigation publish: How Much Costs the Arbitration Bill to Albanian Taxpayers? Open Data Albania reveals Data

An Investigation that lists Actions and Omissions of Senior States Officials that Favor Certain Businesses in Arbitrage. How millions of Euros of Albanian people end up in certain people’s “pockets” due to corrupt contracts and decisions. Are they done on purpose? #OpenDataAlbania collaborated with the journalist Sabina Veizaj on the Top Story program for listing the liabilities in arbitrage and identifying the corrupt model that characterizes these processes.

“Costs do not come immediately. If the Albanian state adopts a law with beneficiary parties, the Albanian state seems to have no defects or problems. But in the moment that this is not realized, the party has the right to resolve the dispute in arbitration and to request the missing value of the contract that he has not realized” said Aranita Brahaj, Open Data.

There are seven cases in international arbitration courts for which the Albanian State recognizes financial obligations.

The largest share of the total bill of Arbitrations, with about 91.3% has the case of Hydro and others against Albania – Becchetti family. Liabilities for this case are in the amount of 99.6 million Euros Direct compensation to the Investor and 0.3 million Euros administrative cost of the arbitration process. In its accounts, the Albanian State has recognized only 99.9 million Euros. But the Arbitration Decision has judged 108 million euros.