The Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) stated that it has registered a criminal proceeding based on the publication of the case of transfers of 3.6 million euros from the company that built the Albania-Kosovo interconnection line to a consulting firm registered in the United Arab Emirates. 

The SPAK has registered a criminal proceeding and is investigating 'offshore' transfers in favour of a consulting company registered in the United Arab Emirates, which were exposed by the leak of "Pandora Papers" documents. . 

"In the conditions when the investigations continue, we can not provide more information," SPAK media relations coordinator Xhuljeta Krasta said. 

Based on Pandora Papers documents, BIRN exposed in October last year how the consulting company AL Energy Transmission received 3.6m euros in payments from the Bosnian company Energoinvest, which built the interconnection line between Albania and Kosovo. 

‘AL Energy Transmission’ is registered in the United Arab Emirates and is run by the Albanian businessman, Vasil Kallupi. 

According to the company registration documents, the final beneficiary of this company is a 40-year-old woman from Tirana named Jola Duro. According to the company's business plan, drafted in February 2013, before its registration, Duro is listed as the office manager and Kallupi as the project manager. The business plan states that the company has as partner, businessman Vasil Kallupi and his wife turns out to be Jola Duro's aunt. 

To some people in Albania, Kallupi is known as the 'Vasili of Vienna' because he lived in the Austrian capital in the 1990s and is known for his close ties to former Prime Minister Fatos Nano. 

Although not illegal, experts warn that when money is transferred through 'offshore' jurisdictions, the risk of corruption increases.