Dutch newspaper: Incinerator scandal puts Rama's government in a difficult position

The Albanian Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) suspects that two administrators (one current and one former administrator) of the Eindhoven-based company Geogenix, formerly known as Integrated Energy, have committed money laundering and were part of a criminal organization. A subsidiary of this Dutch company won a concession worth 120 million euros to build a waste incineration plant in Tirana. Last month, major anti-corruption protests erupted in Albania.

By Jasper Been and David van de Velde,  FD

Two Dutch trust company administrators have been charged in Albania with money laundering and participation in a criminal organization. The case is related to a corruption scandal in the country's waste sector, in which the former Albanian Minister of the Environment was previously convicted. The Dutch suspects deny the charges.

The Albanian government in 2017 awarded concessions for three new waste incineration plants, which were supposed to solve the country’s pollution problem. However, none of these projects were implemented, and according to the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), there was large-scale corruption in all three cases. This was announced in a SPAK announcement in early July.

The scheme involving the Dutch administrators involves a concession worth over 120 million euros for an incinerator in Tirana. Only a portion of this amount went towards the development of the plant, which was never built. According to SPAK, around 30 million euros were fraudulently transferred to two Albanian businessmen.

One of the companies that won the concession was a subsidiary of the Dutch-based Integrated Energy company, now called Geogenix. The Eindhoven-based company was founded in 2016 by the trust company SGG.

Over the years, several trust administrators have served in its management, including Dutchmen Michael D. and Marc L.. The former still continues to be an administrator. According to Albanian media and now also according to SPAK, the company ultimately turns out to be owned by two Albanian businessmen.

Flamingo Revolution

The incinerator scandal has received great attention in the Albanian media and has put the government of pro-European Prime Minister Edi Rama in a difficult position.

SPAK was created in 2016 as part of reforms to bring Albania closer to EU membership. The institution launched several investigations into the incinerator scandal, which led, among other things, to the conviction of former Environment Minister Lefter Koka. He had taken more than 5 million euros in bribes and was sentenced to about six years in prison.

In recent months, large protests against widespread corruption, also known as the "Flamingo Revolution", have erupted in Albania.

The cause was the plans of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, son-in-law and daughter of US President Donald Trump, to build luxury resorts in protected areas where flamingos live, along the Adriatic coast. SPAK is also conducting a corruption investigation into this issue.

"Unusual and incomprehensible"

The investigation into the Tirana incinerator has been ongoing for years. In 2024, the Albanian prosecution seized the Albanian branch of Geogenix. A Dutch administrator – who is not a suspect – was then dismissed from his post.

Meanwhile, arrest warrants were issued for Michael D. and Marc L. and their passport photos were circulated in the Albanian media.

In a reaction to the Dutch newspaper FD, Marc L. said that he and Michael D. find the allegations "extremely strange and incomprehensible."

According to him, the trust administrators have never been involved in operational activities in Albania, while the transactions in which they have played a role have been controlled, clear and explainable.

Marc L. added that he has the impression that a political game is taking place behind the scenes.

SPAK did not respond in time to FD newspaper's questions regarding the alleged role of the Dutch administrators.

Even the Dutch Prosecutor's Office cannot confirm whether it is conducting investigations against the administrators or the Geogenix company, nor can it say whether the Netherlands has received requests for their extradition.