"1.2 million euros from the budget for the former Enver Villa", the DP asks Rama: If the foundation renovated it, where did the money go?

2026-03-08 14:04:57Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
"1.2 million euros from the budget for the former Enver Villa", the DP
Edi Rama

The Democratic Party has denounced another abuse that it claims was made with public funds. In a statement to the media, the Democratic Party's Anti-Corruption Spokesperson, Genta Vangjeli, said that the renovation of Villa 31 cost 1.2 million euros, money from Albanian taxpayers.

She stated that in January 2025, Prime Minister Edi Rama held a press conference on the occasion of the opening of the Vila 31 x Art Explora artistic residence, where it was publicly stated that the renovation of this building had been carried out by an international architectural studio.

According to her, if the renovation of this building was carried out by a foreign studio with the support of an international foundation, then the Prime Minister has the obligation to publicly clarify where 1.2 million euros of Albanian taxpayers' money ended up?

Statement by the Anti-Corruption Spokesperson in the Democratic Party, Genta Vangjeli:

In January 2025, Prime Minister Edi Rama held a press conference on the occasion of the opening of the Vila 31 x Art Explora artistic residence, where it was publicly stated that the renovation of this building had been carried out by an international architectural studio.

In public announcements on social media, the official website of Villa 31 x Art Explora announces that in April 2025, the building was renovated with the support of the Art Explora foundation in France.

The restoration of Villa 31 is presented as a work carried out by the architectural studio NeM Architects.

But official documents tell a different story.

It turns out that 1.2 million euros of public funds were previously procured for the reconstruction of Villa 31 by the Directorate of Government Services, with the approval of the Prime Minister.

Moreover, the economic operator 'Valona Konstruksion shpk' was declared the winner of the tender, and on July 21, 2023, it signed contract no. 144/17 with the Directorate of Government Services, with a completion period of 12 months, specifically for the reconstruction of Villa 31.

These facts raise serious doubts about how Albanians' money was used.

If the renovation of this building was carried out by a foreign studio with the support of an international foundation, then the Prime Minister has the obligation to publicly clarify:

What specific works has the winning operator Valona Konstruksion shpk carried out?

Where did 1.2 million euros of Albanian taxpayers' money end up?

Transparency for public funds is not a matter of propaganda, but a legal and moral obligation towards citizens.

Any discrepancy between public statements and official documents requires immediate and full clarification, because Albanians cannot be treated as spectators of government propaganda while millions of euros of their taxes remain unanswered.


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