Big names are falling one by one, but the question that remains unanswered is the same: what about the money? Arrest does not automatically return the billions suspected of being stolen. A politician can spend months or years in prison, then be released “repentant” or “rehabilitated”, but the money does not leave prison with him.

They do not appear in the state budget, do not return to the citizen’s pocket, do not repair roads, schools or hospitals. Even the High Inspectorate for Declaration and Control of Assets and Conflict of Interest (HIDAKKI) sees almost nothing. Even when they have discovered violations, they do not publish names. For anyone who expected a serious turn in the discovery of illegal assets of those in power, the latest report published for 2025 by HIDAKKI is nothing more than another proof of an institution that is content with bureaucratic statistics and “progress” on paper, while rampant corruption remains untouched on the ground.

How did 610 officials get away with it for the period 2014-205!

In the statistical analysis, HIDACCI tries to sell as a success the imposition of 75 administrative measures with fines and only 16 criminal referrals during the year 2025. This report clearly proves that the institution prefers to impose simple financial fines rather than bring corrupt officials to criminal justice. But even when they have been referred to justice, no known name has been taken as a defendant. “In this context, the sanctioning activity of HIDACCI in recent years represents a considerable volume, resulting in 75 administrative measures with fines, as well as 16 criminal referrals and other referrals for the reporting period.

Thus, for the period 2014-2025, a total of 2,306 administrative “fine” measures were applied, and 610 subjects were referred to the Prosecution Institution, the structures of the General Directorate of Taxes/Tax Investigation, the Financial Intelligence Agency, and the State Police, including high-level management officials, such as members of the Albanian Parliament, mayors, heads of institutions, judges, prosecutors, high and middle level civil service, etc. The data for the period 2019–2025 provide a more detailed overview of the distribution of sanctions by categories of violations.

This period was selected to provide a sufficient statistical basis for assessment and to better reflect the implementation practice over time. For this period, 99 administrative measures “fines” were imposed for violations of legal provisions regarding conflict of interest, as well as 319 administrative measures “fines” for irregularities in declarations, according to the types provided for in the legal framework. In the same period, 210 administrative measures “fines” were imposed for failure to declare on time and without reasonable cause, and 15 cases were referred to the Prosecutor’s Offices when entities that bear the obligation to declare have not submitted the declaration of assets and private interests”, the report states, among other things.

The “Red Flags” methodology is promised, but where have they been so far?

One of the most critical points of the report is the implicit admission that to date, the HIDACCI has checked the assets of officials blindly, without a proper risk analysis. Only in 2025, under pressure from the European Union and the Parliament, is an attempt being made to introduce a model based on risk indicators (“Red Flags”). The report says: “…has advanced the methodology for verifying declarations through a control model based not only on the scheme provided for by the legal framework in force, but also on the drafting and inclusion of risk indicators (“Red Flags”)…” And where is this vital system today? Still in letters and manuals “in the process of development”. The report confirms that: “HIDACCI is in contact with the project experts on the ongoing development of the internal manual for verifying warning signs…”. The question that naturally arises is: How have the assets of our politicians been checked to date without using these risk indicators?!

The fight against conflict of interest, another dragging law

The saga of incompetence continues with the legal framework for conflict of interest. While GRECO and the EU emphasize that Albanian legislation remains “relatively complex”, HIDACCI is content with the statement that the draft law filed in 2021 (!) is expected to be approved in the first quarter of 2026. Four years of delay for a draft law that should have been the pillar of official integrity. The report emphasizes that this new law: “…aims to modernize and consolidate the existing legal framework… in order to guarantee the impartial exercise of public functions and prevent the influence of private interests in decision-making processes…”. If this modernization comes at such a snail’s pace, the public administration will continue to remain choked by private interests for many more years. HIDACCI’s report for 2025 is an institutional own goal. It proves that the fight against corruption of high-ranking officials in Albania remains hostage to the lack of bylaws, methodologies left in the “drafting” phase, and a great desire to protect oneself with fines rather than handcuffs.