The Public Procurement Agency (APP) has the right to conduct administrative investigations for concession contracts that are finalized by signature, but in two years it seems that there have been none.

This is brought to attention by a report of the Albanian Supreme Audit Institution (ALSAI) that has audited the APP and its activity. "For the period 2021-2022, it turned out that there was no investigation process for concession contracts,” the report stated.

Also, the Department of Verification of Concession Procedures/PPP, and Procedures in the Field of Defense and National Security in the Public Procurement Agency, does not have updated information from ATRAKO, whether the three concession procedures of 2022 have been finalized by signing a contract,” it is said in the audit report.

The same specifies that APP, after administering the concession contracts from ATRAKO, (the latter is responsible for maintaining the database for all concession and public-private partnership contracts, given in the Republic of Albania), evaluates based on the criteria specified in its internal regulation, for the selection of contracts that will be subject to administrative investigation.

Under these conditions, ALSAI has recommended that the Public Procurement Agency take measures to have continuous communication with the Concessions Handling Agency regarding the updating of information on concession contracts.

Another element that has been underlined in the conclusions of the auditors of ALSAI is the fact that from the verification of the documentation administered by the entity on the verification plans for public procurement procedures, Concessions/PPP procedures and procedures in the field of defense and security for the years 2022 and 2023, it was concluded that: APP as a verification institution has not yet fulfilled the legal obligation to monitor procedures in the field of national defense and security, to provide security for the good management of public funds in these procurement procedures.