Police uniform tender: nine current and former officials arrested by SPAK
Status: Trial status unknown; retrial of detention ruling reported
Summary
On 10 July 2021 SPAK arrested nine current and former officials over a tender for police uniforms. Exit describes them as the former head of public procurement at the Interior Ministry and members of the bid-evaluation committee; Shqiptarja (Report TV) names former Procurement Agency director Edlira Naqellari among them. Exit reports the tender as 25 million euros for uniform supply through 2023. The Shqiptarja account of the file gives a tender of 2.8 billion lek, with 2.2 billion lek for uniforms, 552 million lek for shoes and 35 million lek for an electronic distribution system that was never built. It alleges the quantities were changed while the price stayed the same, and that three lots were merged. Former Interior Minister Sander Lleshaj denied involvement, saying his role gave him no authority over procurement. A later report says a court ordered reconsideration of the detention ruling; the current trial status was not confirmed.
Key facts
- Nine arrests on 10 July 2021 (Exit)
- Tender value conflicting: EUR 25 million (Exit) vs 2.8 billion lek (Shqiptarja)
- Opposition group reported the tender to SPAK in August 2020 (search summary; not fetched)
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.
- Arrests of nine officials by SPAK on 10 July 2021 (Exit)
What is alleged (1)
Accusations, not findings. Those accused are presumed innocent.
- AllegationProcurement violations described in the file
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.
- AllegationAbuse of office and procurement violations in the tender
- AllegationChanged quantities without changed price; merged lots that allegedly raised the price and lowered quality (per the file as reported)
Open questions (3)
- Final verdict
- Reconciling the EUR 25m and 2.8bn lek figures
- Whether any political officials were investigated
Responses (1)
Responses of the people and organisations concerned, as recorded.
- Sander Lleshaj denies involvement (Exit headline; full text not fetched)
Figures
Money trail →Police uniform tender value
€25,000,000
2,800,000,000 lek
Incomplete figuretenderSource label: Officially reportedStated definition: Two sources, not reconciled: Exit states EUR 25 million; the Shqiptarja/Report TV file states 2.8 billion lek. A search snippet cites about EUR 23 million. Incomplete: no contract or final value checked.
Date: 2020 · Payer: Ministry of Interior / procurement · Payee: Winning bidder (not named in sources reviewed)
- 9 Albanian Officials Arrested for Public Procurement-Related Abuses (opens in a new tab)Exit.al · 10 Jul 2021 · journalism · EN
- Prangosja e 9 zyrtarëve për tenderin disa miliardësh të uniformave (opens in a new tab)Shqiptarja.com · 12 Jul 2021 · journalism · SQ
Allocations in the tender file: uniforms, shoes, electronic distribution system
2,790,000,000 lek
Incomplete figurecontractSource label: Officially reportedStated definition: Researcher's sum of 2.2 bn lek (uniforms) + 552 m lek (shoes) + 35 m lek (electronic system, never built), as reported. Approximate; incomplete.
Date: 2020 · Payer: Ministry of Interior · Payee: Not stated
- Prangosja e 9 zyrtarëve për tenderin disa miliardësh të uniformave (opens in a new tab)Shqiptarja.com · 12 Jul 2021 · journalism · SQ
Timeline
Full timeline →SPAK
SPAK arrests nine officials over police uniform tender
Nine current and former officials arrested, including the former head of public procurement at the Interior Ministry and evaluation-committee members (Exit).
Connections
tender run through Interior Ministry procurement
Evidence: SPAK arrested a former Interior Ministry procurement head and evaluation members (Exit, 10 July 2021).
former minister during tender period; denies involvement
Evidence: Lleshaj says his role gave him no authority over procurement (Exit).
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 4 sources.
Source label: Officially reportedOfficially reported · 4 sources
- Publisher
- Exit.al
- Date
- 10 Jul 2021
- Publisher
- Shqiptarja.com / Report TV
- Date
- 12 Jul 2021
- Publisher
- Exit.al
- Date
- unknown
- Publisher
- Exit.al
- Date
- unknown