“We will be summoned from SPAK”; This was one of the comments made by one of Lushnje’s municipal employees, as soon as he learned that SPAK had launched an investigation. Euronews Albania secured the complete investigation folder, where one of the municipality’s officials states that he was in a meeting where they were advised how to respond to prosecutors.
A segment from the transcript of the wiretap recording:
Worker 1: There is a cop that brought some paperwork in as people that might have knowledge.
Worker 2: Who else will be summoned?
Worker 1: Me, Ilva, and the engineer.
Worker 2: Why her?
Worker 1: She is one of the units. Yes, yes, but must go to Tirana.
Worker 2: You?
Worker 1: Us three that we’ve been called as persons that might be holding information, on Wednesday 11 AM at SPAK, I just don’t feel good about it, but I don’t have anything, I am at peace with the work I’ve done.
Worker 1: They said not to worry, and not discuss it with our families in order not to worry them.
Worker 2: Who said that?
Worker 1: The director, and that friend of yours.
Worker 2: Well, good then.
Worker 1: We had like 20 meetings about to presumably say there.
Worker 1: Fatosi is coming out as a guarantor, guaranteed that.
Among the people recorded were also two businessmen discussing a corruptive affair over a tender on the rehabilitation of an irrigation channel. The two are cousins and also friends of the city’s mayor, Fatos Tushe, as well as one of the directors at the municipality, Flamur Peqini.
Ibrahim Lami: I have two short questions. Should I call you on WhatsApp or here as it’s not a big deal …
Bujar Murati: No go ahead and talk as we can say what we want about work.
Ibrahim Lami: How is the contract between you and me going to be?
Bujar Murati: We’ll do a subcontracting as we’ve agreed to, you cut for me, and I make a cut for the state.
Ibrahim Lami: All right … so they release the receipt in my name?
Bujar Murati: Those from the waste. Yes, they’ll cut it in your name … nothing bad even if they cut it under my name cause a friend can help us … but you take it as if you’re working yourself … do you understand? Cause you can get it and justify your VAT and then pass it to me.
Ibrahim Lami: Next question
Bujar Murati: I need a signature, as I will sign it and seal it (We will do the contract like we agreed and then fire up cuz’)
Apart from the tender and wiretap recordings from SPAK, several other irregularities directly involving the Lushnje mayor were recorded, including him intervening to consent to the construction of a building lacking the necessary legal paperwork.
Fatos Tushe: Ok, ok, tell him that you spoke with the mayor, and the telephone … I think I even told you … this phone is not for this sort of communications, hit the street, Shegas is very close and come and tell me in person. The phone is not for these types of discussions.
I.B: Okay, okay
Eleven of the detained appeared today in front of the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime. SPAK sought a jail sentence for seven of the arrested, including the Mayor of Lushnje, while for the remaining four it sought a more lenient sentence.
The city officials are accused of several offenses, including forging documentation, violating parity rules in tender races. According to SPAK, the suspects have cooperated to favor a company for the rehabilitation of an irrigation channel in Lushnje worth 24 million Albanian Lek.
On Wednesday, Tushe was discharged from the post of the mayor.
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