EC report "blackens" the government: PPPs, tenders, Taxes and Customs remain hotbeds of corruption

The European Commission has raised the alarm about the level of corruption in some of the most important sectors of the Albanian public administration, emphasizing that despite the existence of a legal framework for its prevention, current measures are not sufficient.

In the rule of law report, Brussels lists the sectors most exposed to corruption as health, education, public procurement, public-private partnerships (PPP), law enforcement agencies, tax administration, customs and the property sector.

The European Commission highlights that transparency in public procurement procedures remains limited, especially in public-private partnerships and in the granting of strategic investor status.

The report also highlights that political interference continues to be a widespread problem, requiring the establishment of stronger safeguards to guarantee the integrity of institutions.

According to the EC, corruption risks remain present even in state-owned or state-owned enterprises, especially in procurement procedures in the sectors of digitalization, infrastructure and projects funded by the European Union.

The report positively assesses the adoption of the new Anti-Corruption Strategy and the methodology for assessing the risk of corruption in the public sector, but emphasizes that their success will depend on effective implementation, continuous monitoring and institutional coordination.

The document states that during the reporting period, risk assessments were conducted or initiated in sectors with high exposure, such as public procurement, healthcare, and property, while the State Cadastre Agency approved the Integrity Plan 2025–2027 with preventive measures to reduce the risk of corruption.

“Although a structured framework for assessing the risk of corruption in some high-risk sectors has been adopted and implemented, more targeted preventive measures are needed. Some sectors continue to be considered particularly exposed to corruption, in particular health, education, public procurement, public-private partnerships, law enforcement, property, tax administration and customs. Business integrity remains an area that requires particular attention.

Corruption risks also persist in state-owned or partly state-owned enterprises entrusted with important public responsibilities, including public procurement procedures in the digitalisation and infrastructure sectors, as well as in projects financed by the European Union. Transparency of public procurement procedures, particularly in public-private partnerships, remains limited, especially as regards the granting of strategic investor status. Political interference remains widespread and requires the establishment of stronger safeguards.

 The new Anti-Corruption Strategy focuses on the sectors most exposed to risk, particularly public infrastructure, cadastre and property rights, customs, tax administration, education, health, and public procurement.

Its effective implementation, oriented towards results, with strong monitoring mechanisms and institutional coordination, must continue. In April 2025, the methodology for assessing the risk of corruption in the public sector was adopted, creating a structured framework for identifying and minimizing corruption risks in public institutions.

During the reporting period, risk assessments were conducted or initiated in several high-risk sectors, including public procurement, healthcare and the property sector. Following the assessment conducted in the property sector, the State Cadastre Agency adopted the Integrity Plan 2025–2027, which provides for targeted preventive measures,” the report states.