TIRANA, Nov 8 /ATA/ – The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has called on the Special Anti-Corruption and Anti-Crime Prosecution Structure (SPAK) to launch an urgent investigation into the construction permits issued in the Albanian capital, Tirana, accusing the government of facilitating illegal developments that serve as fronts for money laundering.
Genta Vangjeli, the spokesperson for DP’s Anti-Corruption Department, said in a statement to the media on Saturday that the campaign to demolish illegal buildings should have begun in the center of the capital.
“Until 2018, the central square of Tirana was protected due to its historical value. But after changes made by the government, the protection boundary was removed, and new towers began to rise one after the other. Today, a square meter in these buildings costs up to 5,000 euros – prices that are unaffordable for ordinary citizens who have no place in them. As a result, most of these properties remain vacant, a clear sign of the money laundering taking place in plain sight,” Vangjeli said.
According to DP, over the past seven years, building permits have been issued for around 12 million square meters of residential and commercial space in Tirana, a significant portion of which is in the city center. The opposition claims that no government action has targeted these new high-rise buildings.
The opposition has urged SPAK to urgently probe the construction permits, the execution of these projects, the sources of funding, and potential money laundering schemes behind them. Vangjeli also called for an investigation into the ties between developers and senior government officials.
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