Ilir Beqja is also being investigated for other offenses that have emerged during the initial investigation
At the conclusion of the investigation into criminal proceedings No.190, year 2023, the Special Prosecution Office against corruption and organized crime filed a claim for trial against a 11 defendants in the Special Court of First Instance.
The defendants are:
Ilir Beqaj – Charged with committing criminal offenses; « Passive corruption of senior state officials » carried out in cooperation (2 times) provided by Articles 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code; “Violation of the equality of participants in tenders or public auctions”, carried out in co -operation provided by Articles 258/2 and 25 of the Criminal Code 8 times; « Falsification of Documents », by the person who has a duty in cooperation provided for in Articles 186/3 and 25 of the Criminal Code, committed 9 times; « Fraud » carried out in cooperation with serious consequences, provided by Articles 143/3 and 25 of the Criminal Code, committed twice; « Fraud » in cooperation « , committed three times, provided by Articles 143/2 of the Criminal Code; » Rejection for declaration, non -declaration, concealment or false declaration of assets, private interests of elected persons and public officers or any other person who has the legal obligation to declare « , provided by Article 257/A/2 of the Code of 3 times.
Ermal Kurtulaj – charged with committing the offenses of « Passive Corruption of senior state officials », committed in co -operation, (twice) provided by Articles 260 and 25 of the Criminal Code; “Violation of equality of participants in tenders or auctions”, carried out in co -operation, provided by Articles 258/2 and 25 of the Criminal Code (8 times); “Falsification of Documents”, by the person in charge, carried out in co -operation by Articles 186/3 and 25 of the Criminal Procedure Code, committed 9 times; « Fraud », carried out in co -operation, with serious consequences, provided by Articles 143/3 and 25 of the Criminal Code (2 times); « Fraud », committed in co -operation (3 times), provided by Articles 143/2 of the Criminal Code.
Gazmend Haxhia – charged with committing criminal offenses; « Fraud with serious consequences », committed in co -operation, provided by Article 143/3 of the Criminal Code and « Falsification of Documents », committed in co -operation by Article 186/2 of the Criminal Code.
Legal person Company « Landways International » sh.pk – charged with committing criminal offenses; « Fraud with consequences », committed in co -operation, provided by Article 143/3 of the Criminal Code, « Falsification of Documents », committed in co -operation, provided by Article 186/2 of the Criminal Code and « Active Corruption » by Criminal Code » 245 of the Criminal Code.
Alfred Nicholas – charged with committing criminal offenses; « Fraud with serious consequences », carried out in co -operation, provided by Article 143/3 of the Criminal Code, « Falsification of Documents », committed in co -operation, provided by Article 186/2 of the Criminal Code, as well as « Active Corruption of senior state officials or local elected », provided by Article 245 of the Criminal Code.
Elton Marini – Accused of committing criminal offenses « fraud » with serious consequences, committed in co -operation by Article 143/3 of the Criminal Code and « Fraud » committed in co -operation provided for in Article 143/2 of the Criminal Code, as well as « Falsification of Documents », committed in co -operation and more than once provided by Article 186/2 of the Criminal Code.
Legal person Company “Nine Service int” sh.pk – charged with criminal offenses; « Fraud » with serious consequences, committed in co -operation by Article 143/3 of the Criminal Code and « Fraud », committed in co -operation, provided by Article 143/2 of the Criminal Code, and « Falsification of Documents », committed in co -operation and more than once provided by Article 186/2 of the Criminal Code.
Bjona Ziaj – charged with committing criminal offenses; « Fraud », carried out in co -operation provided for in Article 143/2 of the Criminal Code and « Falsification of Documents », carried out in co -operation by Article 186/2 of the Criminal Code.
Bledar Leka – charged with committing criminal offenses; « Fraud », carried out in co -operation, provided by Article 143/2 of the Criminal Code and « Falsification of Documents », carried out in co -operation provided by Article 186/2 of the Criminal Code.
Marinela Jazoj – accused of committing the offense; « Active corruption of senior state officials or local elected », provided by Article 245 of the Criminal Code.
Mira Topçiu – Charged with committing the offense of « Falsification of Documents », committed in co -operation more than once (8 times), provided by Article 186/2 of the Criminal Code.
Criminal facts:
- During the investigation carried out, it is proven that the defendant, Ilir Beqaj*, had acquainted with the defendant, Ermal Kurtulaj, at least since 2012, when the defendant was a partner at the company « Intech » sh.pk
Defendant Ermal Kurtulaj turns out to have worked in 2017 with the FSDKSH, then in several various projects and since 01.06.2022 has worked as coordinator of the « Facility Point » office, for the program « Eusair », in Saspac, appointed by the defendant Ilir Beqaj himself according to Order no. 80, dated 26.05.2022.
During the exercise of his duties as the General Director of SASPAC, the defendant Ilir Beqaj acting as an orderer in cooperation with the defendant, Ermal Kurtulaj, who acted as enforcers, during the years 2022-2023, conducted fictitious procurement procedures in violation of the « threshold » rules, set forth in the rules of regulation, Funded by the EU General Budget, the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) and mandatory to be implemented under Article 5 letters « c » of Law no. 37/2015 “On the ratification of the Framework Agreement between the Republic of Albania, represented by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania and the European Commission on the rules of implementation of EU financial support for Albania, within the instrument for pre-membership assistance (IPA II)” and Law no. 21/2018 “On the ratification of the Financing Agreement between the Republic of Albania, the Republic of Italy and the European Commission, for the Interreg VB Adriatic-Ionian Program (Adrion) 2014-2020”.
All services procured within the events « On the organization of the Festa Conference (the future of sustainable environmental tourism in Albania » and « Energy Conference » as well as « Cooperation in the Adriatic and Ionian region », organized in 2023 have not undergone regular procurement procedure, but the winner has been subsequently agreed and determined. Documentation.
These tenders were conducted with competitive negotiation procedures, which were ordered to be carried out by the defendant, Ilir Beqaj in the capacity of the Director General, who signed on the agreement to perform the particular service; invitations sent to entities to submit bids according to the type of procurement, the order to set up a commission to conduct the evaluation of bids; The letter sent to the winners after the evaluation, as well as the conclusion of the contract, the payment orders- the actions performed afterwards, by the conclusion and enforcement of the contract.
Some of the services are found to have been fictitiously procured, as companies have not provided services, but deceived in cooperation with defendants Ilir Beqaj and Ermal Kurtulaj for material benefit, and in at least two cases it is proven that the latter received irregular benefits from the defendants who have represented these companies.
- Defendant Ilir Beqaj has made a false statement on his property from 2020 onwards, after concealing property interests in 50% of quotas in the company “Albanian Food and Hospitality Services” Ltd, with NIPT L91329021O and did not declare costs incurred in this company; has concealed ownership and did not declare expenses regarding an apartment in the city of Vlora; as well as hiding the ownership of a vehicle.
As part of the investigation, preventive seizure of immovable property (apartment), located in Lungomare, Vlora and some bank accounts, and other seized defendants, is located:
14 323 125 (fourteen million three hundred twenty three thousand one hundred and twenty five) ALL;
15 542 (fifteen thousand five hundred forty -two) euros;
42 318 (forty -two thousand three hundred eighteenth) USD;
19.4% of the quotes of the company “Albanian Food and Hospitality Services” sh.pk
Three vehicles registered in the ownership of the defendants
Note to journalists:
- *Defendant Ilir Beqaj in 2014-2017 exercised functions; Minister of Health; In September 2017-2021, a member of the Albanian Parliament and then in 2022 was appointed to the position of Director General of the State Agency for Strategic Programming and Coordination of Assistance known as « SASPAC ».
- -Hearings are continuing for other criminal facts resulting during this criminal proceeding.
