Ilir Ranci moved to a hamlet near the Albanian city of Elbasan for the view of snow-capped peaks and a garden big enough for fruit trees, chickens and turkeys. Today, however, the surrounding landscape is obscured by a colorful mountain of garbage from a nearby landfill.
The trash was supposed to be used in a new incinerator to generate electricity, but the project has been plagued by operational problems, causing the pile to grow, residents say.
It is one of three such plants worth hundreds of millions of euros at the center of a corruption scandal in which prosecutors allege that contracts for the incinerators were awarded illegally, that ministers received kickbacks, and that contractors falsified invoices for work that was never done.
The view from Ranci's house highlights the long-term consequences of endemic corruption in the Balkan country of 2,4 million, where Prime Minister Edi Rama is seeking re-election for a fourth term in elections taking place today, promising to "clean up" Albania and join the European Union by 2030.
It is unclear how this and other corruption scandals will affect Rama in the elections, which will see around 250.000 registered voters from the diaspora participate for the first time.
Polls show Rama has a significant lead over the opposition, which has itself been hit by corruption allegations. But analysts say the scandal could cost his Socialist Party seats in parliament and dent its chances of joining the EU in the next five years.
Indeed, many experts are skeptical about Rama's timeline for EU entry, given how long it has taken other countries in the region to meet the requirements for membership.
"The incinerator case showed what is wrong with the Albanian system. All safety measures have failed, procedures are not being followed," said Andi Hoxhaj, a Balkans expert at King's College London.
Following investigations by Albania's anti-corruption prosecutor's office, known as SPAK, former Environment Minister Lefter Koka was arrested on corruption charges related to the incinerator deals. Former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj was also indicted but has fled Albania.
Locals outside Elbasan say the plant has not been operating for months. Eco-Elb, the company managing the project on behalf of local municipalities, did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
At the landfill, birds caw above the rotting remains. When the south wind blows, residents close their windows because of the stench. When asked if they would vote for Rama, they laugh.
"I will never vote for him again," Ranci said.
“This is how things work in Albania,” said another resident, Besim Stafa. “They spend a lot of money for nothing.”
Rama's supporters say he has helped Albania free itself from its difficult communist-era past, in which long-time ruler Enver Hoxha kept the country isolated from the rest of the world for decades.
Today, in the capital Tirana, gray Soviet-era apartment blocks stand alongside modern apartment buildings, bustling restaurants and cafes. A new runway at Tirana airport could soon allow direct flights to New York.
Annual economic growth of over 4% for the period 2022-2024, boosted by trade with the EU, a tourism boom and strong hydropower production, has outperformed other countries in the Balkans, according to the World Bank.
Among the high-profile investors is US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, whose company plans to build a luxury resort on an uninhabited island off the coast of the Adriatic Sea, which has raised concerns among some local residents.
The country was removed from the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in 2023, thanks to its efforts to combat money laundering. This is partly due to the work of SPAK, which was established in 2019 and has since confiscated €200 million for corruption and organized crime.
Rama has gained favor in the West by accepting migrants from Italy and housing Afghans awaiting visas to the United States.
At rallies this week, Rama waved EU flags. “We are at the door of Europe and that door is now open for us,” he told supporters in the eastern city of Pogradec.
Critics claim that Rama has too much power, that he has failed to eradicate corruption, and that he has tried to silence the opposition with false corruption charges, which Rama denies.
Poor living standards and high unemployment rates have fueled mass emigration: the population shrank by 420.000 people from 2011 to 2023, census data show.
Riots broke out repeatedly last year over allegations against opposition leader Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party, who was placed under house arrest.
Berisha, who hired a US lobbying firm partly to improve his image in Washington, where he has been officially designated "persona non grata", claims the charges against him are politically motivated. Experts say the country remains a hub for criminal gangs trying to launder billions of euros made by drug and arms trafficking around the world.
This explains the frequent appearance of Range Rovers and shiny, but often empty, new apartment blocks in Tirana, they say.
Census data shows that around one-third of housing units in Albania are unoccupied, significantly more than in most EU countries.
“Albania is a good student on paper, but it lacks implementation,” said Jorida Tabaku, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party.
"We want the standard to improve for citizens, standards in everyday life, whether it's the economy... schooling, education and healthcare."
Translation: N. B
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