Major investment projects on the Albanian coast, the laundering of money derived from international cocaine trafficking, and the independence of justice from political pressures have turned the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) into a center of attention for the world's most prestigious media.
According to data from the official register of requests for information for the month of July, international media giants such as the Wall Street Journal, Daily Mail, Newsweek, Tagesspiegel and L'Impertinent have officially addressed SPAK with quite direct and probing questions.
The name of Artur Shehu and the shadow over investments in Sazan and Zvërnec
In the main focus of foreign journalists is the Miami-based businessman, Artur Shehu (referred to in official documents as A.Sh.), who is accused by SPAK of having built a real estate empire through falsifying land ownership on the coast, laundering the proceeds of cocaine trafficking from South America to Europe.
Wall Street Journal (USA): Addressed SPAK with a specific request to learn whether Albanian authorities have approached Interpol to issue a "Red Notice" against Artur Shehu, as well as to obtain court documents from recent investigation files.
Daily Mail (United Kingdom): Requested official comment on reports that Artur Shehu's seized assets and falsified lands affected areas where large multi-billion dollar resort projects are planned on the coast.
Newsweek (USA): Requested confirmation whether the investigation against Artur Shehu remains active, whether the €110 million seizure on his assets is still in effect, and whether these investigations affect land transactions in the proposed projects in Sazan and Zvërnec.
Political pressure and strategic investments on the coast
The interest of the interstate media also extends to protecting SPAK itself from political interference and other development projects on the Albanian coast:
Tagesspiegel (Germany): Referring to the high public interest in the investment projects in Sazan and Zvërnec, the German newspaper requested a direct interview with the prosecutor in charge of the case.
L'Impertinent (Switzerland): Officially asked SPAK about the procedural progress of the hot files, as well as the guarantees that the institution has to counter political pressures during high-level investigations.
SPAK's response: The wall of "Investigative Secrecy"
Faced with this "fleet" of questions from the world's largest media outlets, the Special Structure has maintained a firm and legally restrained stance.
For almost all requests from American, British, German and Swiss journalists, SPAK has provided the standard official response:
"In compliance with the requirements for maintaining investigative secrecy in the preliminary phase, no further details can be disclosed at this time. Apart from the information already made public through press releases, we have no additional data to share."
The incinerator affair and the investigations in Belgium and the Netherlands
In addition to the coastal file, European media have also demanded accountability for other issues of an international nature:
Financieele Dagblad (Netherlands): Asked about the role of two Dutch citizens accused in the Tirana incinerator affair. SPAK replied that the two people have been declared internationally wanted and that the file against them has been sent for trial to the GJKKO for money laundering and a structured criminal group.
Gazet van Antwerpen (Belgium): Asked for an interview about the extradition of citizen EN, but SPAK refused the request, explaining that the preliminary hearing is held behind closed doors.
The numerous questions from Washington, London, Berlin and Zurich prove that SPAK's investigations into coastal properties and money laundering are no longer simply an internal Albanian matter, but a topic with high international coverage and interest.
