FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Roads continue to devour millions from the state budget. Although Minister Belinda Balluku appears daily in the media and inaugurates road sections, in fact there are some roads that are never finished and continue to receive millions of funds.
The most scandalous example of road abuse is the Qukës-Qafë Plloë axis. This road has been under construction for almost 15 years and is not finished. A year ago, the government received 49 billion in debt for the completion of the works. We are dealing with only one road, 44 kilometers, and the funds are only added year by year.
To have a clearer idea of this axis: Work on it started in 2009 by the prime minister of that time, Sali Berisha. At that time, only 3 kilometers of road were asphalted for campaign effect and then the road remained roads.
The original project cost $134.6 million, but after successive changes to the project, the value increased by 63% of the original value, where the value went to $218.8 million.
The current government planned for the road to be closed in 2019, but the deadline was pushed to 2023 and this was also accompanied by changes in the budget.
In September 2020, the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, announced that 105.8 million USD are needed for its completion, of which 56.8 million USD for lot I and II and 49 million USD for lot III, while from the approval of the fund, it would take another 22 months to deliver the work.
But the deadlines were postponed and money was demanded again. At the end of 2021, the government announced that it needs at least 56.7 million additional euros to finance the works until they are fully completed. The road continues to remain the road.
Another case is Rruga e Arbri. The Prime Minister inaugurated it with great fanfare, but even this is a "half way". The works have remained in the middle and in a large part of it there is only electoral asphalt, out of standards. The construction of the 54-kilometer road connecting Tirana with Dibra through a concession contract for the company 'Gjoka Konstruksion', began in 2018. The project envisages the construction of a two-lane road, which passes through a series of six tunnels and two high bridges .
But even though it was inaugurated with great fanfare, this road is impassable in winter. We all saw it a few weeks ago when it snowed so that Hawthorn Pass was impassable. "Gjoka Konstruksion" continues to receive millions, but even this road has remained a road.
The construction of the 54-kilometer road connecting Tirana to Dibra began in 2018, after the company "Gjoka Konstruksion" won the concession with an offer of 33.6 billion lek. By June 2023, the company received payments worth ALL 13.4 billion. The project envisages the construction of a two-lane road, which passes through a series of six tunnels and two high bridges. But the main work of the project, the 3.8-kilometer-long Hawthorn Pass tunnel, has been replaced by an 8.8-kilometer narrow mountain road.
The problems encountered with the opening of this tunnel were used as the ministry's justification for extending this contract 2 times with a total of 37 months. The plan is for the works to be completed in 2025, but it remains to be seen.
In May of last year, the government opened the way for the concession for the Thumanë-Kashar axis. After its cancellation in 2019, the government decided to implement a decision of the Administrative Court of Appeal, which challenged the suspension of the contract.
We recall that the construction of the Thumanë-Kashar segment with a stratospheric cost of 457 million euros was reinstated by the Court of Appeal after the lawsuit of "Gener 2" against the ministry. The panel of judges composed of Rilinda Selimi, Altina Nasufi and Blerona Hasa overturned the order of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, dated January 25, 2019, for the termination of the Thumanë-Kashar concession.
But it is interesting that the government did not appeal to the Supreme Court for this concession and the way has already been opened for the continuation of the contract.
After the end of the tender, the government and Gener 2 entered a phase of negotiations, which should lead to the final contract. But a scandal broke out and the negotiations were not concluded. In December 2018, it was revealed that a phantom company named DH Albania won two tenders worth 30 million euros in Albania, having previously used forged documents.
In addition to the extremely high construction costs of 225.8 million euros for 21 km, the concessionaire will now install a beam, for the billing of every vehicle that will pass on this road axis. Invoicing will be based on a complex formula where it is expected to be 2.1 euros for vehicles, while for heavy tonnage vehicles with less than four axles 6.3 euros and for those with more than four axles it reaches up to 9 euros
At the end of 35 years, it is predicted that the concessionaire will benefit about 1.3 billion euros without VAT. Also, in the contract made public, the state also places a 22.8 million euro guarantee for 8 years if the private company does not collect the planned income. / Pamphlet
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