The unstoppable theft of public funds in Albania has also opened up work for Brussels. After cutting off funds for farmers, the European Union has decided to freeze funding for another important component of aid to Albania. This time it is about the digital sector, but the reason is the same: corruption.
Three independent sources told Kapital that the decision to urgently stop funding for the digital agenda for Albania was taken after the AKSHI affair broke out. The same sources said that the European Commission has officially notified the Albanian government of the indefinite freeze on funding, citing the need to protect the interests of EU taxpayers.
The European Union finances the digital sector in Albania through a series of programmes. In the summer of this year, the Albanian government approved the financing agreement between the Republic of Albania, represented by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania, and the European Commission, for the multiannual operational programme for the digital economy and society, in favour of the Republic of Albania for the period 2024-2027, under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance. The "Digital Economy and Society" programme has a budget of 44 million euros, of which 30 million are financed by the European Union. These funds are now frozen.
Another instrument through which the digital sector is financed is the Western Balkans Investment Framework. Through this framework, the European Union is financing a program to equip 600 schools in the country with smart labs. This project has a cost of 44.3 million euros, of which 14 million is financed by an EU grant.
Meanwhile, funding for the digital agenda is also part of the so-called Growth Plan, where the EU has committed to financing 6 billion euros for the Western Balkan countries.
For this reason, it is not yet entirely clear how much of the total package of funds that the EU has decided to suspend for Albania is. But this is the second case where the European Union has been forced to freeze donations to Albania due to government corruption.
All this is turning into almost a race, where the government steals money without distinction of origin, while the EU blocks funds to protect its taxpayers. What remains to be seen now is which of the parties will tire first? Although the first party is unlikely to ever give up.
Editorial
