The annual report of the Special Prosecution Office, presented a few days ago, was an alarm bell about what is happening at the State Cadastre Agency and the extent of the influence of criminal groups on the properties of Albanians.
"During 2025, the Special Prosecution Office has recorded a significant increase in referrals related to real estate registration services. Corrupt schemes have been identified involving senior officials and specialists of the Albanian Property Agency, who, in collaboration with criminal groups, have enabled property overlaps and legalizations in violation of the law, especially in areas of high tourist interest," the SPAK report states.
The situation is unprecedented. "The director, Lorena Goxhobelli, has resigned 3 times," a confidential source told Zoom.al. "But she was rejected by Rama." It's a "Deja vu." Rama also rejected Belinda Balluku's resignation 3 times when she was under investigation by SPAK. In the end, he was forced to dismiss her.
But why does a high-ranking official insist on leaving a highly coveted position and why does the head of government insist on keeping it? Speculation is rife in the government and the cadastre. But what is understood is that Lorena Goxhobelli is not going to bear the weight of the problems she has caused in the Albanian Civil Service Commission by serving certain groups.
Rama's refusal to release him comes at a time when the Cadastre is under the scrutiny of SPAK and public opinion for the record delays and chaos created by the new system.
Mortgage, in its worst days, under the influence of gangs
Not only in the central office, but also in the field the situation is alarming. ASHK seems to be giving up under pressure from interest groups. There are strong suspicions that decision-making in the Cadastre is in the hands of gangs who demand at all costs the alienation of properties on the coast and urban areas. Goxhobelli seems to be under their open influence.
The SPAK annual report specifies that several investigations have revealed that certain structures in the Cadastre have been under pressure or under the direct influence of certain criminal groups to alienate property titles.
SPAK underlines that criminal groups are no longer content with corrupting a simple employee. The report speaks of a structural intervention, where structured groups have managed to place their people in key positions within the Albanian State Administration of Justice to facilitate money laundering through property and construction.
SPAK also notes that the Cadastre digitalization process, although aimed at transparency and ease of operation, has served in many cases as a mask to hide the erasure of traces of physical documentation during the transition phase.
Service in collapse
While Goxhobelli seeks to leave to escape the consequences of the created stagnation, the institution she leads is going through its most difficult days since its creation.
Beyond the propaganda of digitalization, the figures speak of the clinical death of the legalization process. Over 36 thousand files have remained pending. There are 36 thousand Albanian families who have remained hostage to a collapsing system. Furthermore, SPAK has placed under preventive seizure thousands of square meters that were prepared for legalization illegally, mainly on the coast.
It is not clear why the prime minister has rejected Goxhobelli's resignations, causing the ASHK to turn into a time mine that risks exploding at any moment, taking with it even the few reforms that were attempted.
Property alienation map
The report lists the cities where corruption in the Cadastre is highest. Vlora, Durrës, especially the Lalzi Bay area, and Tirana are the hotspots. In 2025 alone, SPAK has seized real estate worth over 11 million euros, which were registered through forged documents with the cooperation of ASHK officials.
SPAK has launched a wealth investigation into 16 senior Cadastre officials. This means that not only their accounts, but also those of their families, are being verified to see if their luxurious lifestyle matches the state salary./ Zoom.al