Albania 1 Euro – The Government rented eight state properties for 916 new jobs

The Albanian Government has signed eight contracts in 2019 for economic subjects that have obtained actual rights over state property against a symbolic price of 1 Euro. The Albania 1-Euro programme aims to grant potential employers (businesses) state property to use, with the purpose of increasing private investments and the number of employees. In 2019, six businesses and a non-profit organization have benefited from this programme. Only one of the contractors is a foreign investor. Properties granted for use in 2019, with a rental fee of only 1- Euro and for up to 60 years, are mainly industrial objects and military objects. In total, the Government has granted 537,503 square meters of total surface for 916 new jobs, without any contractual requirements that the employers in such contracts to be Albanian citizens. The investor, who has been granted the largest area, is the Albanian company Blu Imperial . More jobs in exchange for the Albania 1-Euro project are expected to be created by the Korean company Yura Co.Ltd, which will open a company for electric parts for cars. Its investment is estimated to be 6.5 million Euros and expected to create 516 jobs. Open Corporates Albania has prepared transparent passports for the business companies that have been granted rental contracts for only 1-Euro for state property.

Access to Information on Justice, and the integrity and promotion of individuals in the justice system

Data and documents on the justice system after the Reform. Additional access to information on the new justice institutions and individuals being promoted to the system. The new Access to Justice Info database aims at enhancing the integrity of processes and institutions through a data mine (base) and information made available to the public and journalists. All laws, decisions, legal acts, strategies, reports, and conclusions of external monitoring conclusions are published according to the institutions of aksesdrejtesi.al. Similarly, the website contains also a profile for every prosecutorjudge, or member of the new justice institutions. The profile aims to provide easy to find documents on education, professional experience, qualifications, promotion, vetting, self-declarations, and any other documents linked to new individuals in the system. This site is a data mine, which enables also a summary of media articles on the reform.

Open Contracting for Tenders by Albanian Road Authority – Transparency and Risk Assessment of Abuse

Tenders and Contracts awarded by the Albanian Road Authority are now accessible by Open Contracting standards. Following tenders for municipalities, public-owned business companies, health, the Albanian Road Fund, and Central Purchasing Agency, the non-profit organization AIS is also ensuring transparency over tender stages and contracts awarded by this key contractor authority in the country. The Albanian Road Authority is the central planning institution for national road infrastructure contracts. The database and the algorithm for corruption risk show that 40 out of 100 tenders are marked by a redflag, indicating the potential for racial inequality. Open Contracting – The Albanian Road Authority is one of the activities of the “Improvement of the Integrity of Public Contractors” Project supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Ambassador of the Netherlands to Tirana, Mrs. Guusje Korthals Altes, was also present at the presentation of the database to a group of investigative journalists.

15 ORGANIZATA KUNDER PROPOZIMEVE LIGJORE TE QEVERISE PER MEDIAT data 10 dhjetor 2019

Ne, një grupim prej 15 organizatash të gazetarëve dhe shoqërisë civile, në mënyrë të përsëritur, duke filluar nga Dhjetori i vitit 2018, përmes deklaratave tona publike i kemi kërkuar qeverisë të tërheqë dy projektligjet e prezantuara publikisht si Paketa Antishpifje, duke renditur të gjitha kundërtitë tona.

Gjithashtu, pas dorëzimit të këtyre dy projektligjeve në Kuvendin e Shqipërisë, i bëjmë thirrje Kuvendit që, në rast se qeveria nuk i tërheq këto projektligje, t’i rrëzojë ato menjëherë. Këto dy projektligje cënojnë lirinë e shprehjes dhe të medias në vend, si dhe bien ndesh me parimet ndërkombëtare të parashikuara në nenin 19 të Deklaratës Universale të të Drejtave të Njeriut, nenin 19 të Paktit Ndërkombëtar për të Drejtat Civile dhe Politike, nenin 19 të Konvetës Amerikane për të Drejtat e Njeriut, nenin 10 të Konventës Evropiane të të Drejtave të Njeriut, etj.

Organizatat vërejnë se dy projektligjet pjesë e paketës antishpifje i akordojnë AMAs dhe AKEP-it, kompetenca gati gjyqësore, me natyrë sanksionuese ndaj operatorëve mediatikë, ndërkohë që këto organe, edhe pse të pavarura sipas ligjit nuk ofrojnë garanci funksionale për të qenë efektivisht të pavarura, sikurse janë organet e pushtetit gjyqësor.

Shqipëria ka mjaftueshëm ligje që rregullojnë çështjet kur media shkel të drejtat e të tjerëve dhe çdo ndërhyrje tjetër, si dhe në këtë drejtim ka patur disa precedentë të gjykuar në sistemin tonë gjyqësor.

Nevoja për të patur vetërregullim të medias dhe JO rregullim ligjor të saj, merr rëndësi të veçantë në ato shtete me demokraci në tranzicion, sikurse është vendi ynë, ku shpesh mediat janë të lidhura me interesat e njohura të biznesit, të partive politike. Vetërregullimi është kombinim i standarteve që përcakton kodet e duhura të sjelljes për median, të cilat janë të nevojshme për të mbështetur lirinë e shprehjes dhe për të mundësuar që kjo sjellje të monitorohet dhe të mbahet e përgjegjshme. Vetërregullimi ruan pavarësinë e mediave dhe e mbron atë nga ndërhyrjet partizane të qeverisë.

Organizatat i bëjnë thirrje Qeverisë Shqiptare dhe Kuvendit të Shqipërisë të marrin parasysh të gjitha kundërshtitë e përsëritura nga ana e institucioneve ndërkombëtare (të tilla si OSBE, BE, Këshilli i Europës dhe Kombet e Bashkuara), prezenca e të cilave kontribuon në vendin tonë për sundimin e shtetit të së drejtës dhe të drejtave të njeriut, të shprehen qartë dhe publikisht mbi projektligjet në fjalë, si masa në dhunim të lirisë së shprehjes.

Gjithashtu, kjo thirrje e organizatave lokale është mbështetur gjatë dy ditëve të fundit dhe nga tetë organizatat ndërkombëtare më të rëndësishme në adresimin e çështjeve që lidhen me lirinë e medias dhe të shprehjes, si dhe nga Federata Ndërkombëtare e Gazetarëve IFJ (me 600 mijë anëtarë nga 140 vende të botës) dhe Federata Europiane e Gazetarëve EFJ ( me 320 mijë anëtarë nga 45 vende)

deklaratën e përbashkët të së cilëve e gjeni bashkëlidhur.

Lista e organizatave firmëtare:

  • BIRN Albania
  • Civil Rights Defenders
  • Citizens Channel
  • Faktoje
  • Instituti Shqiptar i Medias
  • Instituti Shqiptar i Shkencave promotor i Open Data Albania
  • Këshilli Shqiptar i Medias
  • Komiteti Shqiptar i Helsinkit
  • Lidhja e Gazetarëve të Shqipërisë
  • New Media Network
  • Qendra Res Publica
  • Qendra Shqiptare MediaLook
  • Qendra Shqiptare për Gazetari Cilësore
  • Shoqata e Gazetarëve Profesionistë të Shqipërisë
  • Unioni i Gazetarëve Shqiptarë

Information Memo on the State of Schools, where the project is being implemented, in Kurbin and Lezha Municipalities, following the earthquake of 26 November 2019

The “Open ICT Education for Youth Employability” Project, Grant Contract no. 2017/394-533 , implemented by ODK and AIS, scheduled to last from 15 January 2018 until 15 February 2020, targets beneficiaries/educational institutions from Kosovo and Albania. More specifically, high schools from Kurbin and Lezha Municipalities are among the targeted beneficiaries.
Following, you may find some information about the damages caused to the project beneficiary schools by the natural disaster, namely the earthquake of 26 November 2019 in this Memo HERE.

Request for information and access to Evaluation and Actin Plan after the September 21st 2019 Earthquake

Our organisation has submitted today two requests for information and access to documents addressed to the Ministry of Defence, National Civil Defence Agency and the Ministry of Interior.

These requests for information are aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability about measures taken for security and care in cases of natural disasters, in this case following the earthquake of September 21st 2019. The requests were submitted both by email and officially in hard copy through the postal service.

Both requests below for your information:

 

To:         Ministry of Interior,

Subject: Request for information and access to Evaluation and Action Plan after the September 21st 2019 Earthquake for Durres Ministry’s Resort House

From:    AIS / Open Data Albania

Date:     December 4th, 2019

 

Dear Mr. Ms. ,

AIS is a nonprofit organization known as promoter of transparent information through Open Data Albania. Expressing our considerations for the work of your institution, we would like to submit this request for information and access to the following documents:

  1. Copies of any type of documents, memos, reports, minutes, instructions, letters, or notices kept by your institution on the Identification, Assessment, and Action Plan related to the situation created at Durres Resort House of the Ministry of Interior after the 21 September 2019 earthquake.
  2. The documents reflecting the evacuation measures taken after this earthquake by the State Police staff and the civilian residents after the event (September 21st) or the buildings identified as non-habitable.
  3. Information on whether you have already initiated any administrative or criminal investigation into the circumstances, missing measures, or the consequences of the November 26th 2019 earthquake.

This request is based on our legislation on the right to Information and on principles of transparency for good-governance.

Looking forward to your response and copies of the requested documents.

To see the original click HERE

To:         Mrs. Olta Xhaçka, Minister of Defence

Mr. Haki Cako, Director of the National Civil Protection Agency (former Civil Emergency Directorate General).

Subject: Request for information and access to Evaluation and Actin Plan after the September 21st 2019 Earthquake

From:    AIS / Open Data Albania

 

Dear Mr./Ms.

AIS is a nonprofit organization known as promoter of transparent information through Open Data Albania. Expressing our considerations for the work of your institution, we would like to submit this request for information and access to the following documents:

  1. Copies of any type of documents, memos, reports, minutes, instructions, letters, or notices kept by your institution, or drafted by the local authorities (prefecture, region, municipality), and filed with the Civil Emergency Agency on Identification, Evaluation, Reporting, and Action Plan in relation to the situation created with the civilian houses, business facilities, and state-owned buildings following the Earthquake of 21st September, 2019.
  2. The documents reflecting the evacuation measures taken after this earthquake by the State Police staff and the civilian residents after the event (September 21st) or the buildings identified as non-habitable.

 

This request is based on our legislation on the right to Information and on principles of transparency for good-governance.

Looking forward to your response and copies of the requested documents.

To see the original click HERE

The company “Fusha shpk” is awarded a contract for Segment II of Vlora Pedestrian Boulevared, i.e. the segment down to the Tunnel

The company “Fusha shpk” is also awarded another contract for the remaining segment of Vlora Pedestrian Boulevard. The winner is announced last week, while the competition by the Albanian Development Fund was announced in August 2019. The value of the winning bid is 385 173 305 leks. 6 Albanian companies participated in the tender, and the procedure is marked by the Transparent Procurement Sustem by a red flag, finding 3 bidders of lower bids were disqualified.  Check out its passport http://openprocurement.al/sq/albaniandf/view/id/241

Fusha shpk has also won other tenders for reconstruction of bouleevards and pedetsrian sites announced by the Albanian Development Fund:

  1. Remaining part of Vlora Pedestrian Street
  2. Naim Frasheri Pedestrian Street Saranda
  3. Vlora Boulevard reconstruction
  4. Construction of Mac Albania Pedestrian Street in Golem Kavaje
  5. Rehabilitation of green road sides and exit/entry points to inhabited centres on Levan-Kakavija segment
  6. The construction of Saranda Pedestrian Street.

The passport of this company is updated on Open Corporation Albania http://www.opencorporates.al/sq/nipt/j61922018s

The list of contracts list signed with the Albanian Development Fund is published under Open Procurement Albania http://openprocurement.al/sq/albaniandf/list/corporate_id/J61922018S

Asset Declarations of MPs elected in 2019

The Spending Data Albania database, its Money and Power Section is updated with asset decalrations for the MPs elected in 2019. The data has been taken from the official statements made to the High Inspectorate for Declaration of Assets and Control of Conflict of Interest by applying for access to information. They are processed by reformatting their content by better structured categories. This provides easy access to data on real estate, cars, valuable items, liquidity, balance, loans and debts, and incomes from labour, business, third-party payables, heritage, donations, or subsidies. Such categorisation reflects also expected assets related to orders, enterprises, and investment. Those requires to declare their assets are supposed to declare both their personal and family assets. The MPs who received their mandate in 2019 and their assets are as follows:

  1. Andi Permeti http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1069
  2. Alban Zeneli http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/124
  3. Adriatik Alimadhi http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1067
  4. Arben Elezi http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1070
  5. Arlind Cacani http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1071
  6. Amina Cela (Borova) http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/list/pos_id/48/off_id/1068
  7. Elda Hoti http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1077
  8. Edola Braha http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1074
  9. Fationa Dhimitri http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1081
  10. Halil Jakimi http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1082
  11. Enada Kapllani http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1078
  12. Ylli Shehu http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/204
  13. Eugen Bojaxhiu http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1080
  14. Maljlinda Halilaj http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/list/pos_id/48/off_id/1085
  15. Ralf Gjoni http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/list/pos_id/48/off_id/1088
  16. Enver Roshi http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/list/pos_id/48/off_id/1079
  17. Edlira Hyseni http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1075
  18. Nikolin Staka http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1086
  19. Korab Lita http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/list/pos_id/48/off_id/1083
  20. Nimet Musaj http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1087
  21. Ligoraq Karamelo http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1084
  22. Zef Shtjefni http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/view/id/1089

You may find other declarations of MPs who have held mandates in the current legislature in the Spendingh Data Albania database, under the Money and Power section, MPs Legislature IX category http://spending.data.al/sq/moneypower/list/pos_id/48

 

7 days after earthquake, donations for Government only 4.2 million Euros

Porta Vendore collects business promises for 61 million euros of donations publicly announced. What is happening to solidarity? Don’t they trust the Government, or do they just promise more than they actually give?

The Ministry of Finances does not welcome requests for transparency and accountability.  Donor conference to be held

The Ministry of Finances has published the sums donated by individuals, subjects and foreign governments via the Ministry’s website as to 3 December Afterwards, the Ministry has not made any updates, and it has removed earlier publications

According to the Ministry of Finances, donations for the Albanian Government up to 3 December through second-level banks, e-Albania, and Bank of Albania (donations from other states) was: 132 912 131 lekë; 2 797 120 Euros (or 344 045 819.04 Lekë), and 310 888 USD (or 34 197 730 Lekë).

In total, 7 days after the earthquake, the Albanian Government received 511 155 680 (five hundred eleven million and one hundred fifty-five thousand and six hundred and eighty) lekë only as donations for its post-earthquake response fund.

Some foundations have demonstrated a lack of trust by not depositing the charity funds they have collected in the State Treasure to be managed by the Government. Similarly, international-renowned Albanian construction businesses or artists have decided to build homes for several families directly.

Journalists Elisa Gjerani and Eljona Ballhysa have made some inquiries into the total amount donated as a sign of solidarity for this natural disaster. The article published with the Porta Vendore shows a total of 61 million Euros, several times higher than 4.2 million Euros collected in Albanian Government accounts until 3 December. Journalists Gjerani and Ballhysa have also calculated the amounts committed by members of the civil society or people like Lazim Destani, Shefqet Kastrati, Behxhet Pacolli, Samir Mane, Salillari, Gener 2, Rinas Airport (https://portavendore.al/2019/12/06/heronjte-e-vullnetarizmit-ne-shqiperine-pas-termetit-qindra-vullnetare-ne-terren-dhe-miliona-euro-te-dhuruara/ )

Meanwhile, the Albanian government’s decision to recognize the donations of Albanian companies as amounts to be deducted for tax purposes does not clearly specify whether this applies to in kind natural donations.

AIS addressed the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury Directorate (see Here) asking for transparency over the list of donors and respective donations. After that request, not only has the Ministry of Finances not published any transparent lists, but it has also stopped updating its online information every 24 hours, underestimating the principle of transparency and accountability for the entrusted donations.