Bardh Spahia alleges clientelism in Albania's hemodialysis concession

Bardh Spahia, a Democratic Party deputy and former Chairman of the Health Commission, has leveled serious allegations against the Albanian government regarding the management of the hemodialysis concession. Spahia describes the arrangement as a model of clientelism within the healthcare sector.

Citing findings from the Supreme State Audit, Spahia claims there have been payments made for uncompleted services and the misuse of existing public infrastructure. He has raised questions concerning the tender procedures, the selection of the winning company—noting it was 11.1% higher than the lowest bid—and the overall contract value.

Spahia argues that the previous model was decentralized and competitive, involving various licensed private operators. He contends that the current 10-year centralized contract under Prime Minister Edi Rama's administration has shifted toward a single operator, creating costly schemes. He is calling for judicial institutions to investigate the entire process, from the initial bidding to the actual beneficiaries.