Tirana incinerator case
Status: First-instance verdict reported; appeal decision of 14 May 2026 reinstating prison for Koka reported
Summary
The Tirana concession (landfill, incinerator and rehabilitation of existing sites, 30 years) was awarded on 31 Aug 2017 to Integrated Energy B.V. SPV sh.p.k. with an investment of about 128 million euro (Top Channel). SPAK placed the concession company under preventive seizure in Aug 2023 (Tirana Times, 8 Aug 2023), with the Dutch parent reported as later renamed Geogenix B.V. The Tirana Times article gives no arrest-warrant count.
The Tirana case went to summary trial. The Special Court's first-instance verdict (Telegrafi; date not stated in the article read) sentenced Lefter Koka to 2 years after a 3-year term was reduced under the summary procedure, and others to 2 years after reduction from 3 years. On 14 May 2026 the Special Appeals Court ordered Koka back to prison for the remaining six months (Albanian Daily News).
Key facts
- Concession awarded to Integrated Energy B.V. on 31 Aug 2017 (contract 6597 prot, date 31.08.2017, per search summary of SPAK documents; not opened).
- Council of Ministers decision dated 7 Dec 2016 gave 8% bonus in tender scoring (search summary; VKM number not found).
- Preventive seizure of Integrated Energy B.V. SPV sh.p.k. (Tirana Times, 8 Aug 2023); property worth 1 million euro seized (Tirana Times).
- Lefter Koka reported sentenced to 2 years (3 years reduced by summary trial) in first-instance verdict (Telegrafi).
- Alqi Bllako reported sentenced to 4 years by GJKKO (A2 headline).
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 (1)
Established by documents or official records, as stated in the research. A recorded charge or indictment proves only that the accusation was made.
- Preventive seizure ordered and reported (Tirana Times). First-instance verdict reported (Telegrafi).
What is alleged (1)
Accusations, not findings. Those accused are presumed innocent.
- AllegationCorruption, fraud, money laundering and structured criminal group (SPAK charges as reported by search summary).
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.
- AllegationSPAK: Klodian Zoto and Mirel Mertiri de facto owners of the companies and used intermediaries to conceal ownership (Tirana Times).
- AllegationOpposition (Belind Kellici) claims Erion Veliaj and Edi Rama are real owners (opposition claim, Tirana Times; Veliaj denies).
Open questions (5)
- Koka Tirana sentence: research brief says 3 years covered by detention; Telegrafi reports 2 years after reduction from 3 years. Not resolved.
- Verdict date: research brief says 16 Apr 2025; a2 search snippet says 16 Apr 2025 was set as the verdict date; no opened article confirms the verdict date.
- Arrest warrants: Exit reports 12 warrants (Tirana and Fier); Shqiptarja headline reports 15 warrants (Tirana concession). The 6 house-arrest figure is not found in the Tirana Times article. Not resolved.
- Mertiri and Zoto Tirana verdict: no verdict found in sources read.
- Whether the Tirana seizure is still in force: not confirmed.
Responses (2)
Responses of the people and organisations concerned, as recorded.
- Veliaj dismissed the opposition allegations as baseless (Tirana Times, 2023 summary).
- Veliaj said he went to SPAK voluntarily to testify (search summary, Apr 2024).
Figures
Money trail →Treasury payments to the three incinerator companies combined (to end June 2023)
€103,000,000
11,000,000,000 lek
paymentSource label: Officially reportedStated definition: Definition: cumulative Treasury payments to the three incinerator concessionaires, 11 billion lekë, which Balkanweb gives as 103 million euro, through end-June 2023. Source: Ministry of Finance Treasury data via Open Data Albania, as cited by Balkanweb. Combined figure, not additive with the per-plant figures below (different end dates). Not the same as the TI CEPI 70.2 million euro (Elbasan + Fier, incl. VAT at 106 lek/euro) in fin-elbasan-plus-fier-state-cost.
Date: Jun 2023 · Payer: Government of Albania (Treasury) · Payee: Three concessionaires (Elbasan, Fier, Tirana), combined
- Inceneratorët 'dogjën' 103 mln euro deri në qershor 2023 (opens in a new tab)Balkanweb · 12 Jul 2023 · journalism · SQ
Treasury payments to the Tirana concessionaire (to end June 2023)
€52,600,000
5,600,000,000 lek
paymentSource label: Officially reportedStated definition: Definition: cumulative Treasury payments for the Tirana incinerator to end June 2023, 5.6 billion lekë (52.6 million euro) per Balkanweb. About 5.5 million euro of this was paid in January-June 2023 (same article). Different date basis from the 5.1 billion ALL OpenSpending figure in fin-tirana-openspending-all (Faktoje, date unknown).
Date: Jun 2023 · Payer: Government of Albania (Treasury) · Payee: Tirana concessionaire (Integrated Energy B.V. SPV per existing file)
- Inceneratorët 'dogjën' 103 mln euro deri në qershor 2023 (opens in a new tab)Balkanweb · 12 Jul 2023 · journalism · SQ
Tirana Municipality extra payments 2018-2020 (as cited from KLSH)
€26,500,000
3,200,000,000 lek
paymentSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Definition: about 3.2 billion lekë (26.5 million euro) paid by Tirana Municipality on top of cleaning costs of 3.9 billion lekë in 2018-2020, as cited by Balkanweb from KLSH. The KLSH PDF was not readable, so the figure is not verified against the report. Balkanweb also says the municipality and the Ministry of Industry and Energy pay 29 euro per tonne for a service not fully delivered.
Date: 2020 · Payer: Tirana Municipality · Payee: Tirana incinerator concessionaire (per context)
- Inceneratorët 'dogjën' 103 mln euro deri në qershor 2023 (opens in a new tab)Balkanweb · 12 Jul 2023 · journalism · SQ
Municipal payments to Integrated Energy GB SPV, first half 2022
€3,300,000
paymentSource label: Officially reportedStated definition: Definition: EUR 3.3 million paid in H1 2022 by Tirana, Durrës and Kavajë municipalities to Integrated Energy GB SPV, per Ministry of Finance Open Data cited by Exit (6 July 2022). Exit's headline says 3 million. Different from the 26.5 million Tirana municipal figure for 2018-2020.
Date: 2022-01/2022-06 · Payer: Municipalities of Tirana, Durrës, Kavajë · Payee: Integrated Energy GB SPV
- Albanian Public Pay €3 Million to Incinerator Company Involved in Scandal (opens in a new tab)Exit News · 6 Jul 2022 · journalism · EN
State payments to Integrated Energy GB SPV, 2018 to June 2022 (Exit)
€40,000,000
paymentSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Definition: about 40 million euro paid by the state to the same company from 2018 to June 2022, per Exit (6 July 2022). Exit gives no breakdown in the text read. Not additive with the Treasury cumulative figures above.
Date: 2018/2022-06 · Payer: Government of Albania (state) · Payee: Integrated Energy GB SPV
- Albanian Public Pay €3 Million to Incinerator Company Involved in Scandal (opens in a new tab)Exit News · 6 Jul 2022 · journalism · EN
Tirana concession investment (privately financed per Top Channel/Exit)
€128,200,000
Incomplete figureconcessionSource label: Under investigationStated definition: incomplete. Definition: investment figure for construction of landfill, incinerator and rehabilitation of existing sites over the 30-year concession (Top Channel: 128.2 million). Exit gives 128 million. Not the state effect and not the total over 30 years.
Date: 31 Aug 2017 · Payer: Integrated Energy B.V. SPV (private investor) · Payee: Ministry of Environment (concession grantor)
- Dutch company takes eco-friendly management of Tirana's urban waste (opens in a new tab)Top Channel · journalism · EN
- Special prosecution issues 12 arrest warrants over incinerator contracts (opens in a new tab)Exit News · journalism · EN
Minister's claim: 45 million euro paid for Tirana incinerator by July 2022
€45,000,000
Incomplete figurepaymentSource label: Under investigationStated definition: incomplete. Definition: payments to date as stated by an official in July 2022 (Faktoje fact-check, search summary). Faktoje's rating of the claim and the official's title are not confirmed from an opened page (page fetch failed, DNS error). Other reports in the same summary cite 35 million (May 2022) and 3.3 million for first six months of 2022.
Date: 27 Jul 2022 · Payer: Government of Albania · Payee: Integrated Energy B.V. SPV
- Faktoje fact-check on Tirana incinerator payments (45 million euro claim) (opens in a new tab)Faktoje · Jul 2022 · journalism · EN
Treasury payments to Integrated Energy BV SPV (OpenSpending, per Faktoje summary)
5,100,000,000 lek
Incomplete figurepaymentSource label: Under investigationStated definition: incomplete. Definition: total Treasury payments from contract start to the date of the Faktoje article, in ALL (about 5.1 billion). Faktoje converted this to roughly 43.7 million euro at the then rate (search summary). Not opened; date of snapshot unknown.
Date: not found · Payer: Treasury of Albania (Government) · Payee: Integrated Energy B.V. SPV
- Faktoje fact-check on Tirana incinerator payments (45 million euro claim) (opens in a new tab)Faktoje · Jul 2022 · journalism · EN
Seized bank accounts of Arben Ahmetaj
€124,300
seizureSource label: Officially reportedStated definition: Definition: two bank accounts totalling 124,300 euro seized by SPAK in July 2023 (TI CEPI). Not directly linked to the Tirana concession in the source; the case field is an assumption and should be reviewed.
Date: 18 Jul 2023 · Payer: Arben Ahmetaj · Payee: State (seizure)
- Albania: Arben Ahmetaj, deputy PM involved in incinerators concession scandal (opens in a new tab)Transparency International CEPI · Aug 2023 · ngo · EN
Property seized (611 m2, registered to F.M.O. sh.p.k.)
€1,000,000
seizureSource label: Officially reportedStated definition: Definition: value of property seized by SPAK as stated by Tirana Times (1 million euro). Owner entity F.M.O. sh.p.k. is named as registered owner; link to Zoto or Mertiri not stated.
Date: 8 Aug 2023 · Payer: F.M.O. sh.p.k. (registered owner) · Payee: State (seizure)
- Linking ownership of shell companies to fugitives: SPAK seizes Tirana's waste incinerator (opens in a new tab)Tirana Times · 8 Aug 2023 · journalism · EN
Timeline
Full timeline →Government
VKM nr. 575 sets the procedure for the mixed concession / PPP for waste incinerators
Named as the base framework decision for the incinerator concessions (search summary of a Shqiptarja article on SPAK's file). The number and date come from that summary only.
Government
Tirana concession awarded to Integrated Energy B.V.
Ministry of Environment contract with Integrated Energy B.V. (30-year concession for landfill, incinerator and rehabilitation of existing sites). Contract date 31 Aug 2017 per SPAK document reference in a search summary.
Media
Exit News reports Ministry of Finance data: 3.3 million euro municipal payments to Integrated Energy GB SPV in H1 2022
Exit reports EUR 3.3 million paid in H1 2022 by the Tirana, Durrës and Kavajë municipalities to Integrated Energy GB SPV, citing Ministry of Finance data on Open Data Albania, and about 40 million euro paid by the state to the same company from 2018 to June 2022. The headline says 3 million; the body says 3.3 million.
SPAK
SPAK charges Arben Ahmetaj; TI lists his former adviser Artan Gjoka as involved
Transparency International's case page (updated 08/2023) states Ahmetaj was charged in 2023 in the Incinerators Affair and lists Artan Gjoka, described as his former adviser when Ahmetaj was Minister of Finance and Economy, as politically exposed and allegedly involved in fictitious villa and apartment sales. The page does not give the day of the charge.
SPAK
SPAK files request to Parliament to lift the immunity of Arben Ahmetaj
SPAK's request for arrest and property checks, reported as filed with Parliament on 10 July 2023 (Top Channel, seen in search; date from search summary).
Media
Balkanweb: Treasury data show 11 billion lekë (103 million euro) paid for the three incinerators to June 2023
Article citing Ministry of Finance Treasury data via Open Data Albania: all three plants combined 11 billion lekë (103 million euro) through end-June 2023. Per-plant split in financials.
Parliament
Parliament revokes the immunity of Arben Ahmetaj
IDEA Democracy Tracker: Parliament voted to revoke the parliamentary immunity of former Deputy PM and MP Arben Ahmetaj, who is charged with corruption and money laundering and reportedly fled after an arrest warrant. The vote count is not on the page read.
SPAK
Special Court orders preventive seizure of Integrated Energy B.V. SPV
Per Shqiptarja (search summary): on request of SPAK, the Special Court signed a preventive seizure against Integrated Energy B.V. SPV sh.p.k.; SPAK says Zoto and Mertiri are de facto owners of it and of its Dutch parent (later renamed Geogenix B.V. per SPAK).
SPAK
SPAK preventive seizure of Tirana concession company
Preventive seizure of Integrated Energy B.V. SPV sh.p.k. and of Zoto's Integrated Technology Services; a 611 m2 property worth 1 million euro seized (Tirana Times). Tirana Times says the Dutch parent was later renamed Geogenix B.V.
SPAK
Erion Veliaj summoned by SPAK
Mayor Veliaj summoned by SPAK in its investigation into corruption related to the Tirana waste incinerator; first summons in this case (Tirana Times).
Court
Tirana verdict date set
Date set for announcement of the Tirana verdict (search summary of A2 article; not opened). Verdict content per Telegrafi, date not stated in article read.
International
Ministry of Justice extradition request for Arben Ahmetaj to Switzerland reported
The Ministry of Justice filed an extradition request with Swiss authorities, announced at a Special Court session. Filing date not stated. Ahmetaj denies that a request exists (Balkanweb, search summary). Swiss response not found.
Court
Special Appeals Court orders Lefter Koka back to prison for the remaining six months (Tirana case)
Confirms the existing event ev-2026-05-14-koka-return-prison. ADN: the court partly overturned a decision that had revoked the 'arrest in prison' measure. Enforcement not stated.
Court
Special Appeals Court orders Koka back to prison (Tirana case)
Special Court of Appeal (panel: Ilirjana Olldashi, Nertina Kosova, Daniela Shirka) ordered Koka to return to prison for the remaining six months; partly overturned an earlier decision that had lifted the arrest-in-prison measure (Albanian Daily News). Other Tirana defendants' verdicts upheld.
Media
AFP report: Elbasan plant barely operated, Fier never functioned, Tirana plant never built (as reported)
AFP report, reprinted by Malay Mail (9 Oct 2026) and The Star (14 Oct 2026), describes the Elbasan plant as operating only a few months and now rusting, the Fier facility as never working, and the Tirana incinerator as never built. It gives Elbasan at 26 million and Fier at 23 million euro. Snippets only; the Malay Mail page returned HTTP 403.
Connections
Tirana file: first instance 4 years (A2); appeal outcome disputed (3 years nominal per Balkanweb; retrial order per Shqiptarja)
Evidence: Conflicting appeal reports; see case-tirana-incinerator-status-2026.openQuestions.
defendant (Tirana)
Evidence: Telegrafi verdict report; Albanian Daily News 14 May 2026.
named in SPAK investigation of Tirana, Fier and landfill (search summary)
Evidence: Shqiptarja headline: SPAK investigation of Ahmetaj also covers the landfill and Tirana and Fier incinerators (not opened).
summoned by SPAK in Tirana incinerator probe
Evidence: Tirana Times, 30 Apr 2024: summoned by SPAK as part of investigation into Tirana incinerator corruption.
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 22 sources.
Source label: Officially reportedOfficially reported · 13 sources
- Publisher
- Tirana Times
- Date
- 8 Aug 2023
- Publisher
- Telegrafi
- Date
- not recorded
- Publisher
- Albanian Daily News
- Date
- 14 May 2026
- Publisher
- Top Channel
- Date
- not recorded
- Raport perfundimtar i auditimit te performances me teme: Incineratori i Tiranes (opens in a new tab)
- Publisher
- Supreme State Audit (KLSH)
- Date
- Feb 2025
- Publisher
- Tirana Times
- Date
- 30 Apr 2024
- Publisher
- Exit News
- Date
- 6 Jul 2022
- Publisher
- Transparency International (CEPI case database)
- Date
- Aug 2023
- Publisher
- Top Channel
- Date
- 10 Jul 2023
- Publisher
- Balkanweb
- Date
- 12 Jul 2023
- Publisher
- International IDEA
- Date
- 14 Jul 2023
- Publisher
- Shqiptarja
- Date
- undated
- Publisher
- SHTEG
- Date
- 17 Nov 2025
Source label: Under investigationUnder investigation · 6 sources
- Publisher
- Shqiptarja
- Date
- not recorded
- Publisher
- Malay Mail (AFP)
- Date
- 9 Oct 2026
- Publisher
- The Star
- Date
- 14 Oct 2026
- Publisher
- Exit News
- Date
- not recorded
- Publisher
- Faktoje
- Date
- Jul 2022
- Publisher
- Wikipedia
- Date
- not recorded
Source label: DisputedDisputed · 2 sources
- Publisher
- A2 CNN
- Date
- Mar 2025
- Publisher
- Balkanweb
- Date
- not recorded
Source label: UnverifiedUnverified · 1 source
- Publisher
- Shqiptarja
- Date
- not recorded