Dritan Agolli
Party not recorded
Profile
Head of the Albanian Development Fund, the state agency that runs the government's '100 villages' programme and many local infrastructure tenders. SPAK opened an investigation in February 2022 over a '100 villages' tender awarded to a company part-owned by a chef linked to a restaurant of his son, and questioned him in November 2024. Gazeta Telegraf reported in July 2026 that he had been questioned on two files, one for money laundering and one for abuse of office in tenders, and that he had not been arrested, charged or suspended. He denies any conflict of interest.
Legal status
Under investigation
under-investigation
What this means: Prosecutors are reported to be investigating. An investigation is not a charge and not a finding of guilt.
Response from Dritan Agolli
'Slander! I have no conflict of interest' (Shqiptarja, 2 Feb 2022). He called the media coverage 'an open exercise of pressure' on the procurement and said the chef had only been contracted by his son to prepare a menu and had no other financial relationship. The Fund issued a statement denying corruption (Exit, 2 Feb 2022).
Related cases
Sorted by reported money, then by linked people and their legal status. The money figure is the largest single reported figure, not a total.
From 27 Jan 2022
Albanian Development Fund: SPAK investigation of director Dritan Agolli over the '100 villages' tenders
In January 2022 the Albanian Development Fund (FSHZH) awarded a tender of about 41 million lekë (about USD 400,000) to collect recipes, design menus and produce a guide-cookbook and a 12-episode…
Status: Investigation reported since February 2022; director questioned (November 2024). No charges reported as of July 2026.
A case listed here names this person. It does not mean they are accused in it; read the case page.
Hypotheses
Possible explanations that connect this record with other findings. They are not findings; each lists the evidence for and against.
- Source label: Unverified
Heads of spending agencies stay in office and keep tendering while under SPAK investigation
The Development Fund's director was re-appointed in 2024 and opened new tenders in 2026 while SPAK files on him remained open, as with AKSHI before its director's arrest. If investigations do not lead to suspension, the same people keep control of large budgets during the probe.
Evidence for
- Agolli was re-appointed in January 2024 and questioned by SPAK in November 2024 (Shqiptarja).
- New Fund tenders of about 10.9 million euro were published in June 2026 (Telegraf).
- The AKSHI director kept running procurement until the 2025–2026 SPAK action (already in the archive).
Evidence against
- No charge has been filed against Agolli; an investigation is not a finding.
- Suspension requires a court measure, which SPAK may not have sought.
- Telegraf's claims about fictitious tenders are not backed by documents in the sources reviewed.
- Source label: Unverified
Heads of big spending agencies stay in charge of budgets while SPAK investigates them
The AKSHI director kept running procurement until SPAK acted; the head of the Albanian Development Fund was re-appointed in 2024 and opened new tenders worth about 10.9 million euro in 2026 while SPAK files on him remained open; roads agency (ARRSH) leaders were replaced only after charges. If investigation does not lead to suspension, the same people keep control of public money during the probe.
Evidence for
- Albanian Development Fund: director questioned by SPAK (November 2024); new tenders published 29 June 2026 (Telegraf).
- AKSHI: asset seizures over 40 million euro only in 2026.
- Former ARRSH head Evis Berberi is in custody in the Balluku file (October 2026).
Evidence against
- Suspension needs a court order, which prosecutors may not request.
- An investigation is not a finding; Agolli has not been charged.
- Some agency heads were removed quickly once charged.
Connections
Open the map →Executive director
Evidence: Named as head of the Fund in Shqiptarja, Exit and Telegraf reporting (2022–2026).
Timeline
SPAK
SPAK reported to investigate the Albanian Development Fund's '100 villages' menu tender
The tender went to a company majority-owned by a chef linked to a restaurant of the Fund director's son; the director denies a conflict of interest.
Linked: Albanian Development Fund: SPAK investigation of director Dritan Agolli over the '100 villages' tenders · Dritan Agolli
Government
Albanian Development Fund publishes two new tenders worth about 10.9 million euro while its director remains under investigation
Road works (10.2 million euro limit) and '100 villages' design and supervision (720,000 euro), per Gazeta Telegraf.
Linked: Albanian Development Fund: SPAK investigation of director Dritan Agolli over the '100 villages' tenders · Dritan Agolli
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 3 sources.
Source label: VerifiedVerified · 1 source
- Publisher
- Exit News
- Date
- 2 Feb 2022
Source label: Under investigationUnder investigation · 2 sources
- Publisher
- Shqiptarja
- Date
- 2 Feb 2022
- Publisher
- Gazeta Telegraf
- Date
- 9 Jul 2026