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"Hodaj did not accept, Xhemal Qefalia signed it directly!"/ Tomorri explains the "Smart City" scandal: 140 million dollars without competition, security is compromised
2026-01-15 22:12:59 / POLITIKË
Journalist Klodian Tomorri, invited to the show "The Unexposed" on MCN TV, explained the "Smart City" project, which in addition to very high costs, also presents problems with national security, as Albanians' data will end up in the hands of a company with Chinese connections.
Tomorri explained that the former Deputy Minister of the Interior, Julian Hodaj, refused to sign the contract and was dismissed, but Xhemal Qefalia, as soon as he was appointed as Deputy Minister of the Interior, signed it!
"Taulant Balla visits the United Arab Emirates, where he signs a memorandum of cooperation with a company, Presight. Mr. Balla said that it is a security agreement. Six months after Mr. Balla's visit, the president of the United Arab Emirates comes to Albania together with the staff of this company and they sign an agreement for the Smart City project. There were no details. BIRN had published an article that it was about a surveillance project. The dimensions of the project began to be revealed after the agreement was signed in Tirana. It was a project costing 110 million dollars and foresees the placement and installation of about 5 thousand cameras in the 20 largest cities of Albania, the establishment of the system and beyond these cameras, there are another 3 thousand or so cameras, which are body cameras for the state police.
What is the project and why has it sparked debate?
First, because of the cost, which is very high, and because of the sensitivity of the data, because the cameras will collect data that is a very great asset but can turn into a big mess if it goes into the wrong hands. It came with 110 million dollars at the beginning, along the way it was increased because they said we forgot VAT.
The financial model? The money will be borrowed from the United Arab Emirates, the country from which the company comes, the Arabs will lend us 110 million dollars, the Arab company will receive this money and the Albanians will be left with the bill, which they will pay with 4% interest for 15 years.
Beyond the 110 million dollars, which will be paid with interest, there is also VAT, which is covered by the budget of 20 million or so. It brings the total project to 130 million. So the financial agreement, that the Arabs will lend money, and the agreement was approved in Parliament and the second component, the contract with the Arab company.
This is without a tender, the Arabs lend the money, the government pays the company. The government, after finalizing the loan agreement in parliament, appointed a working group that would negotiate the contract and put the former deputy interior minister, Julian Hodaj, and the head of IT at the head. On the other hand, the Arab company.
Apparently, Mr. Hodaj or the working group was hesitant to sign it because of the embarrassment that the agreement could cause. There were hesitations due to interference from other factors, who did not want it to go to a company that comes from a country outside NATO and has ties to China, since the owner is a citizen of Chinese origin, even though he lives in Abu Dhabi.
If you remember, those images of Mr. Rama on the phone from Rome shouting, it was the phone call he allegedly made with Julian Hodaj, due to his hesitations and the contract not being signed. After Rama's arrival, after returning from Italy, Mr. Hodaj was fired and Xhemal Qefalia was appointed in his place, who signed the contract.
"Why is it suspected of being a corrupt affair? 140 million dollars are being given without a tender, without a competition, even a formal one. Second, the high cost. If you look at the number of cameras with the total cost, it is 15 thousand dollars per camera. Beyond the cost, there is also the problem of data security, as this company will have it," said Tomorri, among other things.
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