FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The urban waste treatment plant in Elbasan was built in 2017 at a cost of 26 million euros through a public-private partnership contract. After investigations by SPAK, the incinerator was transferred to the Agency for the Treatment of Sequestered and Confiscated Assets, which gave it management to “Eco Elb”, a public company created in March 2022 by the 7 municipalities of the Elbasan district. But is this plant really working?
According to official data from Eco-Elb sh.a, it is said that during 2022 the plant worked for about 24 days and did not work for 341 days. However, the municipality of Elbasan and the supervisors of the contract did not terminate it, continuing to pay the company "Eco-Elb" 2,500 lek/ton. In 2023, the municipality of Elbasan re-entered the same contract without making any changes, although according to official data, this year the incinerator has been partially operating for several months.
Journalist: How are you? Is Mr. Kaja here? (Administrator)
"Eco Elb" employee: No!
Journalist: Where do we find it?
"Eco Elb" employee: At the Municipality.
Journalist: You don't live here? Doesn't your office live here?
"Eco Elb" employee: No, no...!
Journalist: Can we go in and see the incinerator…?
"Eco Elb" employee: No, no! You only enter here with authorization.
Journalist: Authorization from whom?
"Eco Elb" employee: From the municipality.
Journalist: Is this the municipality's, or is it private?
"Eco Elb" employee: Yes, yes, the municipality's.
Journalist: Can we only find Leli in the Municipality? We were told to stay here or...?
"Eco Elb" employee: No, no, there's no one here...
Journalist: So, the incinerator hasn't been put into operation?
"Eco Elb" employee: The incinerator is across the street.
Journalist: As we see it, it's working, right?
"Eco Elb" employee: You need to come inside...!
Journalist: Is he at work? Is he working?
"Eco Elb" employee: I can't speak without receiving orders...
Journalist: Er..., he doesn't work, so he can't talk...
In 2024, the Municipality of Elbasan again renews the contract with “Eco Elb”, although this year, the incinerator has not operated a single day. Administrator Lel Kaja admits that the incinerator is not working and that the company he manages has received full payment from the municipalities to incinerate the waste, but it has not been incinerated because the plant needs repairs.
Journalist: Why hasn't the incinerator been working for years?
Administrator Lel Kaja: We have sent those notifications to both institutions and the press. We have told them that it did not work because there was a defect.
Journalist: As an administrator, you have received all the funds provided for in the contract for treatment, incineration...
Administrator Lel Kaja: We have received all the funds, as stipulated in the contract.
Journalist: The contract provides for 1 lek to treat and burn all the waste, but since it hasn't been burned, a mountain of waste has been created?
Administrator Lel Kaja: Yes, yes, we have received the payment, they were not burned, because the plant is in the repair phase.
Journalist: Where did the money that was received for this treatment go?
Administrator Lel Kaja: The money...yes, yes, you can verify where it went. We have papers for that job. For the information you want, come to the office tomorrow, I'll explain in detail how you want it, how you don't want it...
Journalist: If you don't have anything to explain, there was a mountain of waste, it wasn't burned, the money was taken.
Administrator Lel Kaja: No, no! We have documented what we have done. We have made payments for various works at the incinerator, that's how it is.
Journalist: You also received payment to burn the waste, it wasn't burned, it became a mountain.
Administrator Lel Kaja: Absolutely! We have received the full payment for the incineration, we did not do it because it was turned off.
The "Stop" team on TV Klan was present at the Municipal Council meeting, where an attempt was made to renew the contract, but it was postponed to the next meeting once the interest in the show was learned.
Member of the Municipal Council: This issue of the Elbasan incinerator is a purely corrupt, criminal affair. This has already been proven by the central prosecution bodies, and by us who have not voted on this issue year after year. And by the representatives who are unable to give us an explanation, even a technical one.
Member of the Municipal Council: This contract must come, be reported by "Eco-Elb sh.a"!
Mayor of the City Council: Exactly, I'm putting what I said in the box, since we are more or less on the same page, since there is a need to detail every type of cost...
City Council Member: What year, did you detail it? What year did you detail it? Did you detail it...?
Mayor of the City Council: Who is in favor of Ilir's proposal and what they said...?
As soon as the presence of "Stop" at the meeting was learned, its postponement was requested.
Mayor of the City Council: Who is in favor of removing it from the agenda and discussing it next month…?
On the other hand, the police and the Elbasan Prosecutor's Office have carried out checks and seized documents in the premises of the Elbasan Incinerator.
In addition to the SPAK investigation, a proceeding has been registered at the Elbasan Prosecutor's Office and the main tracks of this investigation are the arson in July 2023 that occurred to urban waste outside the plant, abuse of office and corruption, a criminal offense, which burdens the administrator of "Eco Elb sh.a".
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