Open Contracting Albania Project – Impact on the Media

During the period of May to November 2023, data and products from the project titled ‘Instil a Watchdog Culture, Open Contracting Albania, and Red Flag Index Project’ have become part of the Information Sessions with Journalists and Media Representatives in the country. Using information and tender passports, journalists have prepared dozens of investigative articles shedding light on irregularities and issues within municipality tenders or Reconstruction Program contracts.

Some of them are listed as follows:

Open Procurement on the Media

May – October 2023

Title: ADF Tender raises red flags. Skan TV

Open Data Albania has raised the red flag regarding the tender that envisages the construction of the embankment of the Shkumbin River, as supportive infrastructure for the Auto-Moto Park in Elbasan. On Monday, the Albanian Development Fund announced the winning company for this procedure with a value exceeding the upper monetary limit, while the ODA system has classified the tender as at risk for corruption or non-compliance with legal procedures.

Title: Public Procurement: 50 Major Companies Receive 55% of Funds

Title: Centre for Quality Journalism Publishes Problems with Delays and Unjustified Expenses in the Reconstruction of Schools in Tirana

NewsBomb published: 12 Tenders Annulled Within a Week, Full List of Annulments Published.

Title: Key Tenders of 2022 Database: Which Companies Have Won Billions

Title: Mayor Allocates Millions to Business Cleaning Company Silvio, Fiqiri Allmuca the Preferred Choice of the Municipality with 25 Won Tenders.

Billions ‘Swept Away’ with 24 Tenders of Tirana Municipality. 150 million Lekë for Traffic Light Buttons

Title: Arrests by SPAK for Tenders, Aranita Brahaj Reveals Procurements with Red Flags: No Halt, Risk of Clientelism

Investigative Network Albania: Invested 1.2 million Euros, Cameras Meant to Monitor Forests Sold as Scrap

Portali Bold News: Concession Policy Leads to a Huge Financial Pit.

Syri Tv, Title: Reconstruction under SPAK: 10 Major Contractors of the Program Implemented by Rama with Corrupt Law

TV MCN, Fact-Checking Program Publishes Article: 40% of Concession Contracts in Albania Linked to Offshore Companies.

Gazeta Telegraf: Reconstruction also in SPAK: Companies Established by Former Mayors Linked to MPs and Individuals Convicted for International Trafficking Benefited.

At the Ais office, weekly briefings and communications with journalists and media representatives are held. These communications allow journalists to acquire the necessary information and updates.

This is in line with journalists’ interest in information regarding contracts, tenders, risk assessment indexes in tendering, etc.