Waste Money Wasted: The Millions of Euros Behind Albania’s Ghost Incinerators

Garbage trucks pull up every day at the landfill that serves the Albanian capital, next to Sharra cemetery in the Erzen Valley. The pile of waste grows ever higher, sometimes catching fire and emitting clouds of pungent smoke. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. The promotional videos depicted a futuristic complex of two glass pyramids supported by a metal structure, where the waste would be incinerated. Instead, nine years after the contract for the incinerator was signed, the people who said they’d build it went on trial in mid-July, accused of pocketing tens of millions of euros in public funds that should have been spent on finally solving the problem of Tirana’s waste. Of the 12 accused, alleged masterminds Mirel Mertiri and Klodian Zoto are on the run. Subscribe to Balkan Insight Premium to read the full article. Please login to your account below if you are already a Premium Subscriber. Buy Premium Subscription Our Premium Service gives you full access to all content published on BalkanInsight.com, including analyses, investigations, comments, interviews and more. Choose your subscription today and get unparalleled in-depth coverage of the Southern and Eastern Europe. Buy Premium Subscription If you have trouble logging in or any other questions regarding you account, please contact us