Vlorë Triport concession: share transfers after award (Premium Construction, ITE Group)
Status: Investigative report only; no SPAK action found in sources reviewed
Summary
Balkanweb/News24 'Vetting' (published around 25 Oct 2026 per the news index; the Albanian and English page dates are not confirmed) reports on the Vlorë Triport concession. The ministry signed the concession in 2022, after a bidding group was awarded the contract in October 2021 with an offer of about 4.06 billion lek (about EUR 40m).
The report says the winning company Premium Construction was set up four months before the award with 10,000 lek initial capital, administered by Hektor Agalliu. It says several consortium members sold their stakes soon after the award, some for amounts described as symbolic, and that Premium and ITE Group shares (ITE administered by Sokol Zotaj) were moved to the two remaining companies. It says the companies pledged Triport shares to the Bank of Tirana in March 2023. A lawyer quoted in the report argues that a change of shareholders right after a tender win harms the economy. No official response or SPAK action on this concession was found.
Key facts
- Bidding group awarded the Triport contract in October 2021, offer about 4.06 billion lek (about EUR 40m) per report.
- Concession signed about six months later, in 2022 per report.
- Premium Construction: 10,000 lek capital, set up four months before award (per report).
- Shares moved after award; pledged to Bank of Tirana in March 2023 (per report).
- No official response or SPAK action found in the sources reviewed.
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.
- Company incorporation details and pledge are stated in the report only; not verified against the Business Register.
What is alleged (1)
Accusations, not findings. Those accused are presumed innocent.
- AllegationThat the tender was won through a shell company and that the shares were moved to benefit insiders.
Allegations and who made them (1)
Each line is an allegation as recorded, with the person or body that made it where the record names them.
- AllegationThe report alleges a shareholder reshuffle after the award and the use of a newly set-up company to win the tender (Balkanweb/News24 Vetting, attributed to the programme).
Open questions (3)
- Business Register (QKB) records for Premium Construction and the shareholder changes.
- Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy's view on the tender and any audit of the concession.
- Any SPAK or KLSH file on the Triport concession.
Responses (1)
Responses of the people and organisations concerned, as recorded.
- No response from Agalliu, Zotaj or the ministry found in the sources reviewed (original article could not be accessed).
Figures
Money trail →Vlorë Triport concession, winning offer
€40,000,000
4,060,000,000 lek
concessionSource label: UnverifiedStated definition: About 4.06 billion lek (about EUR 40m) as reported; EUR figure approximate.
Date: Oct 2021 · Payer: Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy (concession grantor, per report) · Payee: Winning consortium incl. Premium Construction (per report)
- Premium Construction (Vetting, Balkanweb) (opens in a new tab)Balkanweb · 25 Oct 2026 · journalism · SQ
Timeline
Full timeline →Other
Vlorë Triport tender: five companies named as the only competitors
Balkanweb (Vetting, 25 Oct 2026) states that the 2021 tender's only competitors were Premium Construction and Maintenance, ITE Group and others (five companies in total), which later merged into the concession company Vlora Harbor Construction & Maintenance. The article gives no ownership percentages.
Other
Triport: shares transferred to ITE Group under Sokol Zotaj at symbolic prices
Balkanweb (Vetting, 25 Oct 2026) reports that shares in Agbes Construction, ArkonStudio and BESTA passed to ITE Group, administered by Sokol Zotaj, at prices of 2,500 to 3,000 euro, which the article describes as symbolic compared with the investment value. The article gives no response from Zotaj or ITE Group.
Other
Triport: shares pledged to Bank of Tirana by companies linked to Agalliu and Zotaj
Balkanweb (Vetting, 25 Oct 2026) reports that on 16 Mar 2023 the companies linked to Hektor Agalliu and Sokol Zotaj pledged their shares to the Bank of Tirana as collateral. The article does not give the loan amount.
Media
Balkanweb Vetting reports Premium Construction share transfers after Vlorë Triport award
Investigative report on the Triport concession (about EUR 40m) and the shareholder changes after award.
Media
Triport share transfers of Sept 2022 confirmed (BalkanWeb, 25 Oct 2026)
BalkanWeb (25 Oct 2026) reports that in September 2022 three of the consortium firms (Agbes Construction, ArkonStudio and BESTA) sold their stakes for reportedly symbolic sums of EUR 2,500–3,000 to Premium Construction and Maintenance and to ITE Group. Premium is reported to hold 92% of the concession company, citing opencorporates.al. The article reports no responses from the parties.
Connections
Administrator of ITE Group, a consortium member in the Vlorë triport concession
Evidence: Balkanweb (Vetting, 25 Oct 2026) names Zotaj as administrator of ITE Group. No response from him in the article.
Hypotheses
Possible explanations that connect this record with other findings. They are not findings; each lists the evidence for and against.
- Source label: Unverified
Triport share transfers at symbolic prices after the award
Balkanweb (Vetting, 25 Oct 2026) reports that shares of three companies passed to ITE Group under Zotaj at 2,500 to 3,000 euro, after the concession, and that the companies linked to Agalliu and Zotaj pledged their shares to the Bank of Tirana in March 2023. The article describes these prices as symbolic compared with the investment value. Whether this is a legal restructuring or an improper transfer is not established.
Evidence for
- Reported transfer prices are far below the reported investment value (article's own characterisation).
- Shares were pledged to a bank within months of the transfer (16 Mar 2023).
Evidence against
- No SPAK or court action on the concession was found in the sources reviewed.
- The article gives no response from Zotaj, ITE Group or the concession company, and no legal opinion on the transfers.
- Source label: Unverified
Triport concession: a newly formed company won, then shares moved to insiders
The Balkanweb report describes the same pattern seen in other concession files in the dataset: a freshly incorporated company wins a large contract, shares are moved after award, and pledges follow. If confirmed by the Business Register, the pattern would support a wider concession-abuse thesis (compare the Llogara and Kombinat tender files).
Evidence for
- Report: Premium Construction set up four months before award with 10,000 lek capital.
- Report: shares moved soon after award, some for symbolic amounts; pledge to Bank of Tirana in March 2023.
- Lawyer quoted argues that post-award share changes harm the economy.
Evidence against
- No SPAK action, KLSH finding or ministry response on the Triport concession was found.
- The report's figures differ across excerpts; the original article could not be accessed.
- Share transfers can be lawful commercial moves and are not proof of abuse.
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 1 source.
Source label: Officially reportedOfficially reported · 1 source
- Publisher
- Balkanweb (Vetting)
- Date
- 25 Oct 2026