The economic damage in 2025 is estimated at 26.2 billion lek (273 million euros) according to the findings of the Supreme State Audit Office, based on 190 audits it conducted last year in public institutions.
The audits have recorded dozens of irregularities, both from central and local institutions and public agencies, causing the value of the negative financial effects to increase compared to 2024 when it was 16.4 billion lek (172 million euros). In total, 916 disciplinary measures have been issued, 59 fines have been imposed and 722 actions have resulted in institutions carrying out financial consequences to the detriment of the budget.
The report states that financial audits have highlighted deficiencies in financial reporting and the reflection of obligations, while problems in public procurement remain prominent.
"Compliance audits have identified persistent weaknesses in the implementation of the legal and regulatory framework, particularly in the areas of public procurement, asset management, contract management and budgetary discipline," the report states.
With regard to procurement procedures, the SAI says there are shortcomings in their planning, problems in calculating the limit fund, and in drafting specific qualification criteria.
The tender estimates include, in an unsubstantiated and unfair manner, several work items that are not defined in accordance with the relevant construction manuals, the report continues.
Furthermore, the country also has problems with the evaluation of bids, which have led to operators being qualified who do not meet the criteria, while others have been unfairly disqualified.
"Cases have been identified where operators have been disqualified for lack of documentation, under the same conditions or deficiencies as the economic operator declared the winner, leading to unequal treatment of economic operators and violating the principles of transparency and competition. As a result, the lowest bids have been disqualified and the procedure has continued with higher bids, leading to contracting with values above the optimal level, with a negative financial effect on the state budget," the report states.
Problems have also been identified in small-value tenders, as the practice of splitting the fund has been identified, says the SAI, avoiding open procurement procedures, contrary to the principles of transparency, competition and equal treatment of economic operators.
Regarding violations found by institutions and agencies, the SAI says that it has filed 8 criminal reports, for cases where the audit revealed serious violations of the law, and 43 other materials have been sent to law enforcement bodies for issues that require further investigation.
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