Huge scandal, SPAK file reveals Vodafone Albania paid 8 billion lek to Meta – Kryemadhi linked company, role of Theodhori Çami and Marin Gjonaj
The Albanian Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) has uncovered that Vodafone Albania paid 8 billion lek to Adrian Shatku’s company, UNIFI, in a transaction allegedly orchestrated by the political couple Ilir Meta and Monika Kryemadhi. Payments were made to UNIFI branches in Albania and Luxembourg for call transit services.
At the time of the deal, Shatku’s company reportedly lacked the technical infrastructure for the service. According to testimony by Marin Gjonaj, Vodafone executives directed him to facilitate the technical requirements to accommodate the needs of Meta and Kryemadhi. Gjonaj, acting through his company Info Telecom, served as a technical intermediary, receiving financial benefits for his role.
Gjonaj testified to SPAK prosecutors, as reported by Gazeta Korrieri, that Info Telecom enabled the technical connection between UNIFI and Vodafone. This request, according to Gjonaj, stemmed from an agreement between Vodafone executives and the Meta-Kryemadhi couple to include UNIFI in the deal, a move aligned with the politicians’ financial interests.
From 2014 to 2017, the relationship between Vodafone Albania and UNIFI intensified, with UNIFI billing Vodafone approximately 8 billion lek. SPAK suspects that a significant portion of this amount represents bribes paid to the Meta-Kryemadhi couple in exchange for their influence over Albania’s telecom regulator, AKEP, led by Piro Xhixho.
SPAK has documented meetings and discussions where Meta and Kryemadhi allegedly leveraged AKEP to favor Vodafone over other operators. In one instance, former Vodafone Albania CEO Ditelof Mare reportedly attended a dinner at Meta’s residence in Tirana’s Bllok area, a gathering negotiated by Theodhori Çami, who had close ties to the political duo.
Financial Details of the Deal
SPAK’s investigation revealed that UNIFI branches in Albania and Luxembourg were represented by CEO Adrian Shatku in signing agreements. Payments were directed to bank accounts at Santander UK. A detailed review of invoices for the period from July 2014 to December 2017 showed Vodafone Albania’s payments to UNIFI as follows:
- UNIFI Holdings Inc. Albania:
- 2014: 30,632,553 lek (incl. VAT)
- 2015: 191,275,715 lek (incl. VAT)
- 2016: 251,205,398 lek (incl. VAT)
- 2017: 230,895,096 lek (incl. VAT)
- UNIFI Communications S.a.r.l. Luxembourg:
- 2015: 31,710,602 lek (incl. VAT)
- 2016: 49,474,686 lek (incl. VAT)
- 2017: 13,502,183 lek (incl. VAT)
The total billed amount reached 798,696,234 lek, including VAT.
Call Transit and the Transit Operator
Call transit involves linking two telecommunications networks to facilitate call routing. Since Vodafone’s networks in Albania and the UK are not directly connected, a transit operator must bridge the gap. The operator charges both networks, with profits derived from the margin between the buy and sell rates.
In this case, UNIFI acted as the transit operator, despite lacking direct technical capacity, which was outsourced to Info Telecom.
Controversial Figure in Focus
Marin Gjonaj, a businessman and key figure in the deal, is already known to law enforcement. Two years ago, he was wanted for illegally building a Bitcoin mining farm in Durrës.
SPAK’s findings raise significant questions about the intersection of politics, business, and regulatory oversight in Albania’s telecommunications sector. /korrieri
