Concentration of government and municipal contract value among a small set of contractors (2015-2018, 2024)
Status: Press analysis; not an official APP or KLSH finding
Summary
Two press rankings based on public procurement data show that a small group of contractors wins a large share of contract value. Shqiptarja (published 16 Jan 2025, citing BIRN journalist Gjergj Erebara) reports that in 2024 the government awarded tenders worth 129 billion lekë (about €1.3 billion) to more than 2,200 companies, and that the top 10 took 29% of contracted value and the top 50 took 62%. Its top-ten list includes Gjoka Konstruksion, Salillari, Fusha, BE-IS, Agbes Konstruksion, Geci, 2 T, G.P.G. Company, Albstar and ANK.
An earlier analysis by Exit.al (29 Jul 2018, Shqiptarja republication of Open Data Albania data) ranked municipal contractors for July 2015 to July 2018. Fusha shpk was first with 3.617 billion lekë (table figure; the text gives 3.782 billion lekë), followed by G.P.G. Company (1.77 billion), Salillari (1.51 billion), ALKO-IMPEX (1.34 billion) and Vëllezrit Hysa (1.31 billion). Several of the top contractors were sole bidders on many tenders.
Concentration by value is not in itself proof of corruption: some markets have few qualified firms, and the press analyses do not measure how many tenders were open or how many bids were received. The sources also disagree on some figures.
Key facts
- 2024: 129 billion lekë (about €1.3 billion) in government tenders; more than 2,200 winning companies; top 10 = 29% of value; top 50 = 62% (Shqiptarja, 16 Jan 2025).
- 2024 top 4 by value: Gjoka Konstruksion (6 contracts, about 8.8 billion lekë), Salillari (8, about 4.6 billion), Fusha (7, about 4 billion), BE-IS (11, about 3.7 billion).
- Jul 2015 to Jul 2018 municipal ranking: FUSHA shpk 3,617,778,081 lekë (36 tenders incl. addenda, as sole bidder per the table); G.P.G. 1,768,751,890 (22 as sole bidder); SALILLARI 1,514,099,360 (19 as sole bidder); ALKO-IMPEX 1,344,006,909 (25).
- The Exit.al text and table disagree for Fusha, Salillari and ALKO-IMPEX (text figures are higher); the source data may be inconsistent.
- The government's own statement (excerpt only, not confirmed in the original source) gives 12% for 2025 public works procedures concluded with one bidder; this is an official claim and needs checking against APP data.
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 (2)
Established by documents or official records, as stated in the research. A recorded charge or indictment proves only that the accusation was made.
- Press rankings of contract value by company exist and were published by Shqiptarja (2018 and 2025) based on Open Data Albania and public tender data; the 2024 figures are as reported by the press.
- The Exit.al text and table give different totals for the same company (Fusha 3.78 vs 3.62 billion lekë), so at least one press figure is inconsistent.
What is alleged (2)
Accusations, not findings. Those accused are presumed innocent.
- AllegationThat the concentration reflects favouritism or rigged tenders (Exit.al on Fusha; opposition-side claims in the dataset).
- AllegationThat contracts were steered toward firms linked to the political circle (not established in this round).
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 (2018) alleges that Fusha's municipal contracts in Tirana involved direct procurements or problematic tenders, and suspects 'fictitious competition' in most others (13 of 28 contracts, per the article's analysis of ODA data).
- AllegationShqiptarja/BIRN (2025) presents the 2024 ranking as evidence of concentration; the article does not allege a crime.
Open questions (4)
- How many bids did each top contractor face in 2024 and 2025? (Open Procurement Albania export needed.)
- What share of the 2024 top-50 value came from single-bidder or direct procedures?
- Is there an official APP or KLSH concentration analysis for 2025?
- Are the top contractors' owners or managers linked to ministers, mayors or PS/PD MPs in public registers?
Responses (2)
Responses of the people and organisations concerned, as recorded.
- Government statement (excerpt only): single-bidder share for 2025 public works is 12%. Source: kryeministria.al, not reviewed in this round.
- No response from Gjoka, Salillari, Fusha, Albstar or the companies in the 2025 article reviewed.
Figures
Money trail →Total government tenders awarded in 2024
€1,300,000,000
129,000,000,000 lek
Stated definition: Press figure (Shqiptarja citing BIRN); EUR figure as stated in the article.
Date: 2024 · Payer: Government · Payee: more than 2,200 companies
- Kontraktoret me të mëdhenj të qeverisë me 2024 (opens in a new tab)Shqiptarja · 16 Jan 2025 · journalism · SQ
Gjoka Konstruksion 2024: 6 contracts
8,800,000,000 lek
Stated definition: Press figure 'miliardë lekë' as reported.
Date: 2024 · Payer: Government · Payee: Gjoka Konstruksion
- Kontraktoret me të mëdhenj të qeverisë me 2024 (opens in a new tab)Shqiptarja · 16 Jan 2025 · contract · SQ
Salillari 2024: 8 contracts
4,600,000,000 lek
Stated definition: Press figure as reported.
Date: 2024 · Payer: Government · Payee: Salillari shpk
- Kontraktoret me të mëdhenj të qeverisë me 2024 (opens in a new tab)Shqiptarja · 16 Jan 2025 · contract · SQ
Timeline
Full timeline →Media
Open Data Albania ranking of municipal contractors (Jul 2015-Jul 2018) published
Fusha first (3.6 billion lekë), then G.P.G., Salillari, ALKO-IMPEX, Vëllezrit Hysa.
Media
Shqiptarja/BIRN publishes 2024 top government contractors ranking
Top 10 = 29% of 129 billion lekë; top 50 = 62%. Gjoka, Salillari, Fusha, BE-IS top four.
Connections
Top 2024 contractor (about 8.8 billion lekë)
Evidence: Shqiptarja 2025 ranking.
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.
- Source label: Unverified
Tirana municipal contracting (Fusha, Albstar, Gjoka) is one pipeline that carried over into national contracts after 2021
Exit.al's Tirana reporting shows a small set of contractors dominating municipal awards under Veliaj. Several of the same firms (Fusha, Salillari, Gjoka, Albstar) reappear in the 2024 national ranking. If the same informal channel steered both levels, the pattern would extend the Veliaj-era network beyond Tirana.
Evidence for
- Fusha is top municipal contractor (2015-2018) and third national contractor (2024).
- Salillari is third municipal (2015-2018) and second national (2024).
- Existing dataset records already link the Veliaj case to Fusha and other contractors (case-veliaj; press lists of companies in SPAK-related reporting).
Evidence against
- The 2024 ranking shows contract totals, not the process; firms can win national work on merit.
- Veliaj has been charged and detained, but no court has found the contractor links; the 2024 ranking does not name any official.
- No source links Gjoka or Albstar to Veliaj in the material reviewed.
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 3 sources.
Source label: Under investigationUnder investigation · 3 sources
- Publisher
- Shqiptarja
- Date
- 16 Jan 2025
- Publisher
- Shqiptarja (Open Data Albania)
- Date
- 29 Jul 2018
- Publisher
- IDEAS RePEc (International Journal of Public Management)
- Date
- 2025