Albstar shpk: Tirana underground car park and national stadium selection
Status: Contract awarded 2017-2018; allegations from press
Summary
Albstar shpk received a €2.5 million contract for an underground car park under Italia Square in Tirana, in front of the national stadium. Exit.al reports that five companies were disqualified by the tender committee for failing technical criteria, leaving Albstar as the only remaining bidder, and that four of the five disqualified firms had bid lower and had extensive construction experience. Exit.al calls the process suspicious.
The same outlet reports that Albstar was the builder of the new national stadium, selected without an open tender procedure. Sources disagree on parking capacity (196, 200, 256 spaces) and on the final cost (Exit.al later gives €6 million for the facility that flooded after heavy rain). Shqiptarja (Jan 2025) lists Albstar with one 2024 contract worth about 2.3 billion lekë. Albstar also appears in several Tirana and Gjirokastra tenders in secondary reports, not reviewed.
Key facts
- Tirana Municipality awarded Albstar €2.5 million for the Italia Square underground car park (winner announced 18 Dec 2017; contract signed 11 Jan 2018), per Exit.al.
- Five bidders disqualified on technical criteria; four of the five had lower bids and experience (Exit.al).
- Exit.al later reports a €6 million underground facility that flooded after rain (figures conflict with the €2.5 million contract).
- 2024: one government contract worth about 2.3 billion lekë (Shqiptarja, 16 Jan 2025).
The record
Four lists kept apart on purpose: what is established, what is only alleged, what is still open, and what those concerned said.
What is proven (1)
Established by documents or official records, as stated in the research. A recorded charge or indictment proves only that the accusation was made.
- Albstar received the Italia Square contract and a 2024 government contract, per the press sources cited (contract records not reviewed).
What is alleged (1)
Accusations, not findings. Those accused are presumed innocent.
- AllegationThat disqualification of bidders was improper and favoured Albstar (Exit.al).
Allegations and who made them (2)
Each line is an allegation as recorded, with the person or body that made it where the record names them.
- AllegationExit.al alleges the Italia Square tender was rigged by disqualifying competitors on technical grounds.
- AllegationExit.al alleges the national stadium builder was chosen without an open tender.
Open questions (3)
- Official tender file for the Italia Square car park (openprocurement.al, Tirana municipality).
- Whether the Albstar in the US federal database (Alb-Star, Tirana) is the same company.
- Owner registry check (Idajet Ismailaj) in QKB; whether Albstar has links to officials.
Responses (1)
Responses of the people and organisations concerned, as recorded.
- None found in the sources reviewed. The company's response is not recorded.
Figures
Money trail →Albstar: Italia Square underground car park contract
€2,500,000
Stated definition: Exit.al figure at award; Exit.al later cites €6 million for the same facility (conflict unresolved).
Date: 11 Jan 2018 · Payer: Tirana municipality · Payee: Albstar shpk
- Tirana Municipality Awards Millions of Euros in Suspicious Parking Garage Tender (opens in a new tab)Exit.al · 2018 · contract · EN
Timeline
Full timeline →Other
Albstar named winner of Italia Square underground car park tender (Tirana)
Per Exit.al, after five bidders were disqualified. Contract signed 11 Jan 2018.
Hypotheses
Possible explanations that connect this record with other findings. They are not findings; each lists the evidence for and against.
- Source label: Unverified
A small group of contractors moved from Tirana's contracts under Veliaj to national contracts
In 2024, 50 companies won 62% of the 129 billion lekë in government contracts, led by Gjoka Konstruksion, Salillari, Fusha and BE-IS. Fusha and Albstar were also the dominant contractors of Tirana municipality under Erion Veliaj, where SPAK's 5D file alleges 12 rigged tenders. The overlap suggests the same network grew from municipal to national contracts.
Evidence for
- BIRN data: top 50 firms took 62% of 2024 government contract value.
- Exit (2018): Fusha received the bulk of Tirana contracts, several direct or problematic.
- SPAK sent the 5D file (12 Tirana tenders, about 193 million lekë in alleged gains) to trial.
Evidence against
- Concentration also reflects the few firms able to do large works.
- No common company is documented between the 5D file and the national top contractors.
- No court has found these national awards rigged.
- Source label: Unverified
Contract value is concentrated among firms whose owners have political access, and this is what enables steered tenders
Two independent press rankings (2018 and 2025) show the same contractors near the top (Fusha, Salillari, Gjoka, G.P.G.). Exit.al's analysis of Tirana tenders links Fusha to a mayor who was later charged, and its National Theatre reporting links the contractor to Rama and Veliaj. If owners have access, tenders would be steered (single bidders, direct procedures, technical disqualifications such as Albstar's) and the concentration would persist across administrations.
Evidence for
- Fusha ranks first in the 2015-2018 municipal ranking and third in 2024; it is also one of the top four in 2024 (Shqiptarja 2025).
- Exit.al (2018): 13 of 28 Fusha Tirana contracts were direct or problematic; Skanderbeg Square tender had one qualifier.
- Albstar's Italia Square award followed disqualification of four bidders with lower prices (Exit.al).
- Shqiptarja (2025): top 50 companies took 62% of 2024 value.
Evidence against
- The 2025 figures are from press analysis of procurement data, not an official audit; the 2018 and 2025 figures for the same firm conflict in places (Fusha text vs table).
- No owner of Fusha, Salillari, Gjoka or Albstar has been charged in the sources reviewed here; no court finding was found.
- Large firms may win because they are the only qualified bidders in specialised works; the press analysis does not count bids per tender.
- Exit.al's Fusha reporting names no owner and includes no response from the company; the link to Rama is the outlet's allegation.
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 2 sources.
Source label: Under investigationUnder investigation · 2 sources
- Publisher
- Exit.al
- Date
- 2018
- Publisher
- Shqiptarja
- Date
- 16 Jan 2025