The flames and smoke of Elbasan show us a theft

2025-07-02 10:38:00, Editorial Elvi FUNDO

By Elvi Fundo

Around 25 million euros were invested in an incinerator in Elbasan. Many declarations were made, many battles were fought. It all started in December 2014, when the Albanian government, supposedly in the name of a concession, which was in fact a 4-year investment for the construction of an incinerator in the Elbasan waste field.

Elbasan Incinerator/ A corrupt and criminal affair
October 27, 1:15 PM

Elbasan has always had a gangrene of environmental pollution, also due to Metalurgjik, but now it was the garbage that had become a major concern.

A project taken on by a company with zero money. A phantom born out of thin air. For those who don't know, the winning company of an investment of 24 million euros spread over 4 years had zero money.

The company 'Albtech' is created and its administrator and owner is citizen Stela Gugalljam, the cohabitant and mother of the children of the famous Mirel Mërtiri, the brain and chief scriptwriter of the incinerators that do not work and do not exist.

Behind it are not only Mirel Mërtiri, Klodian Zoto, but also Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj and former Minister Damian Gjiknuri, who have been accused of numerous crimes. Both held very important positions when the Elbasan incinerator was built.

Exclusive documents - Scandal with the incinerator tender / Winning company without any business activity, procedural violations
April 7, 2:46 PM

SPAK has conducted investigations. It has taken as an accused the former Minister of the Environment, Lefter Koka, who was convicted of corruption and abuse of office, in connection with the Elbasan incinerator.

But today's flames, beyond the officials and ministers accused, guilty or innocent, show us what a crime, a theft, a larceny, in a mismanaged, misused project was.

It could be called a fraud committed against the state. Because today, 11 years after the signing of the contract, garbage is still being burned in Elbasan.

24 million euros for a diesel boiler, garbage is burned in the landfill
November 9, 15:22

Every excuse given, no, the incinerator is there, we have built a JSC, it needs to be put into operation, it doesn't light up because the electrical system isn't working, there's a defect, it needs to be repaired.

These are simply lies!

Elbasan used to have mountains of garbage. And today there are mountains of garbage!

Today in Elbasan, garbage is being burned again. Is it possible for anyone to be held responsible for this fact?! Beyond the people from A to Z, the petty officials?! ( READ HERE )

Because the problem does not begin and end in Elbasan. Tirana is heading towards an environmental catastrophe. The incinerator in Fier has not been completed.

The scandal with the incinerator affair/ The millions that Stela Gugallja and Klodian Zoto have benefited from
February 8, 21:07

Can this government, this state, become responsible, go and invest the money needed in Elbasan and put that incinerator into operation? Or blow it up and make a landfill, so that garbage in Elbasan is no longer burned?

To go to Fier, invest and finish that incinerator. To take delivery of it, to invest in it.

Should he rush to Tirana and build the missing and needed incinerator himself?

That money that's gone, is gone. The state must fight to get it back. It must arrest those responsible, put them in prison, seize their assets and everything else they have.

Elbasan incinerator goes on the run
March 5, 19:52

Mirel Mërtir and Klodian Zotos and others. But the most serious is the environmental wound that exists today and the flames and smoke of Elbasan "scream".

After 11 years, nothing has been resolved and it is even worse than before. This is the essence of the incinerators, beyond the theft and deceit of some fraudsters, thieves and their collaborators in power and the media./CNA