"12 Suspicious Tenders in Kavaja: Case Reopened by SPAK, Elvis Roshi at the Center"

A case closed without a suspect, a criminal report for “abuse of office” shelved for over seven years, and a political figure who survived thanks to institutional silence. This week, in a surprising turn of events, the Special Anti-Corruption Court has brought back to life the file on the suspicious tenders in the Municipality of Kavaja, giving SPAK (Special Anti-Corruption Structure) the green light to launch a fresh investigation.

Everything started with an audit by the Albanian Supreme State Audit (KLSH) covering the period from January 2013 to December 2014. In its detailed report, KLSH listed 12 tenders organized by the Municipality of Kavaja, identifying serious violations of public procurement laws, causing direct harm to the local budget and public interest.

In two cases, the municipality used double standards to disqualify bidders with the lowest offers, while in three other tenders, disqualifications were found to be unjustified due to “incorrect calculations” — raising strong suspicions of deliberate manipulation of the competition process.

A ‘No Suspect’ File and Delayed Justice

In 2017, criminal proceedings were registered for “abuse of office.” However, as often happens with cases involving local government and political ties, the proceedings were initiated without naming any suspects. The Prosecutor’s Office of Durrës eventually requested the case’s dismissal. Over time, the file faded into institutional silence — until this week’s decision.

The Special Anti-Corruption Court has now ruled that the case be transferred to SPAK, paving the way for renewed investigations into the misuse of public funds and procurement processes in Kavaja.

Spotlight Back on Elvis Roshi

This development comes only days after SPAK seized the mobile phone of Elvis Roshi — former mayor of Kavaja and former Socialist Party MP — amid suspicions of electoral corruption during the May 11, 2025 campaign. Roshi was photographed and publicly accused while actively campaigning for his cousin, Elton Roshi, the candidate of the opposition coalition PD-ADSHM in Kavaja.

Sources from the investigative authorities confirm that the searches on Roshi relate to suspicions of misuse of public resources, unlawful electoral influence, and nepotism in a region where his political sway remains significant.

Tenders, Silence, and the Endless Cycle of Abuse

The Kavaja case is just one of many where oversight institutions confirm violations, yet prosecutors fail to act — or the cases fade into bureaucratic oblivion. KLSH auditors have clearly highlighted that procurement procedures were manipulated to exclude the most cost-effective bidders and to favor others — a classic misuse-of-office scheme deeply rooted in local governance in the absence of transparency.

Recent developments show SPAK’s renewed focus on tender abuse, especially in cases involving high-profile political figures. However, it remains to be seen whether these investigations will go all the way or stop once again at lower-level “technical” employees.

Kavaja as a Metaphor for a State Failing to Self-Correct

The “Kavaja” case is a clear reflection of how power abuse operates in Albanian local governance: through procedures that appear regular on paper, but are designed to benefit the same clients, friends, or family members. When justice fails to hold anyone accountable for over a decade, the consequences are not only financial — they are deeply institutional.

SPAK now has the opportunity to prove the opposite.