Vetting show

The state turns a blind eye to construction between roads
The problem raised by residents, who cannot access their lands due to unauthorized interventions or construction, is also evidenced by official reports of institutions. The report of the Supreme State Audit Office on the implementation of the 2022 recommendations highlights a problematic situation in Shkodra, where informal construction has been allowed in areas where the law clearly prohibits it, including protected areas, river banks, water basins and even on existing roads.

According to the audit, these constructions are in violation of the law on protected areas, the law on water resources management and the Road Code, indicating a failure in all areas of institutional control. The SAI requests that the Local Directorate of the State Cadastre Agency in Shkodra conduct on-site verifications of 517 objects recorded without permits, check whether they have self-declared for legalization and, if not, initiate procedures for revoking permits and updating property registers.

The report foresees disciplinary measures for 9 employees involved, including warnings of dismissal. In cases where the construction does not affect road projects, restrictions can be lifted, but when they affect infrastructure, permits should be canceled and legal intervention should be taken.

In this way, the blocking of roads leading to residents' properties is not simply a local problem. It points to deeper problems with law enforcement and the way institutions function, directly affecting the lives and future of the community.

According to tender data, the municipality has distributed funds in several directions, but specifically for the reconstruction of the "Rragam–Sheldi" road, Lot 1, it has allocated 166 thousand euros. There were 7 companies in the competition, while the winner was announced as the joint venture SMO Vataksi & SMO Union SHPK with a bid of 116 thousand euros.

This procedure was appealed after a complaint was filed with the Municipality of Shkodra with the letter no. Protocol 21195 regarding the decision of the Bid Evaluation Committee for the company “Delia Impex” shpk. Subsequently, with the letter “Delia Impex” received a negative response and its claims were not taken into account.

“Delia Impex” was disqualified because the rented asphalt road tanker had not paid the vehicle taxes and did not have a certificate for the transport of dangerous goods. The problem according to the tender is related to the fact that the criteria that were used to disqualify a company were not applied equally to the competing company, which was declared the winner. This creates a situation of two different standards in the evaluation.

The Commission has identified as an unfulfilled criterion for the disqualified company the fact that the rented vehicle and the certificate for the transport of goods within the country were not “for a third party”. Meanwhile, the winner, SMO Vataksi & SMO Union shpk, also turns out to have rented a vehicle, specifically “Autobot uji”, from “G. 2” SHPK, where according to the documentation it lacks the certificate “For the transport of goods within the country for its own account”, i.e. not “for a third party”.

Also, according to the same claim, the payment of vehicle taxes is also missing. These two elements were treated as disqualifying for BOE “DI” shpk & “Rr. UE” shpk, but were not treated as such for the consortium “SMOU” shpk & “SMOV” shpk. The KVO wrote that “DI” shpk & “Rr. UE” shpk did not meet the criterion because the certificates of the rented vehicles were for personal use and not for service to third parties. But this criterion does not appear to have been expressly required in the DT, since point 2.3.11 simply requires a valid certificate for the transport of goods within the country.

This situation constitutes a serious violation and creates a risk of misuse of public funds because the failure to evaluate bids according to the same criteria violates the principle of equality in procurement. According to the data, this evaluation with two standards has led to the use of public funds in violation of legal requirements, in the amount of 16,6 million lek.

Part of this data is also recorded on Openprocurement.al, the AIS platform, where in certain cases a "red flag" is also placed when there are indications of irregularities, favoritism or corruption risk. Meanwhile, another tender for Lot 2 was opened for the same road and again the same company emerged as the winner, this time winning around 370 thousand euros from SMO Vataksi & SMO Union shpk.

The SMO Vataksi company has as administrator and shareholder Xhevat Vataksi, a name known to the public. On May 7, 2008, the area in the village of Daragjat was shaken by gunfire, where Xhevat Vataksi was wounded by 4 bullets. According to reports at the time, the conflict was related to works that Vataksi had been contracted by the state to carry out and that also affected the property of the suspected perpetrator.

The parties had discussed the issue several times, without reaching an agreement, while the 60-year-old had informed them that he was obliged to implement the project only “on paper”. Xhevat Vataksi is also the owner of a construction company that has been subcontracted by the Albanian Development Fund for the reconstruction of the Bërdicë-Trush segment on the Shkodër-Velipoja axis.

On the social level, the consequences are reflected in the local community, where residents report blocked access roads to their properties and a lack of response from institutions. According to residents' testimonies, as in the case of the Kiri valley, alternative access has also been blocked, while complaints to the municipality and other institutions have only brought promises of temporary solutions, without a final intervention.

Overall, the Supreme State Audit highlights serious weaknesses in law enforcement, territorial control, management of public funds, and institutional response, turning the problem from a local issue into an indicator of broader shortcomings in public administration and the protection of community interests.

Due to the institutions that have left the situation at this point, another actor who had the opportunity to contribute to this community, according to them, the other path that these residents had was blocked by the Lead Mosque. This mosque is one of the oldest buildings in Shkodra and the largest and most beautiful mosque in Albania until the first half of the 20th century. The mosque was covered with lead, which is why it was called the “Lead Mosque”, and it is still known by this name today.

The Lead Mosque was built in 1773-1774 at the foot of the Rozafa Castle in the Qafë District of Shkodra with Ottoman architecture and is today a First Category Cultural Monument. The mosque is located outside the Shkodra bazaar, at the foot of the Rozafa Castle, in a meadow on the plain of the Kir and Drin rivers. Residents say that the blockage of one of the roads that had been their only hope to unblock their properties has been blocked with the start of the works on the Lead Mosque. They say that they have raised concerns both in the Municipality and in the Mosque.

However, this has not been resolved. Dozens of citizens equipped with property documents and hopes to invest in their land today feel excluded. In the end, what remains is not just a closed road, but a system that allows injustices to continue, leaving citizens in the middle of their battle for a simple right. Institutions that promise solutions remain silent or fall prey to corruption and inaction while residents fight to protect their properties and dignity.