KESH

A Bulgarian company is now engaged in repair works at Komani, Albania's biggest hydro power plant (HPP), local reports suggest.

The BGN 1 M (EUR 0.5 M) has been commissioned by the Albanian utility KESH, the state-owned electric company in the country.

The main parties have announced their candidates for the biggest electoral prize that is up for grabs in June's polls - the mayoralty of the capital Tirana.

The left-wing ruling coalition which came to power at parliamentary elections in 2013 has named the current minister of welfare and former social activist Erion Veliaj as its candidate.

Launching his campaign to become the next mayor of the capital, Bojaxhi challenged Albania's two big political parties, the Socialist and Democrats, arguing that they had little to offer the city.

"We have no security in Tirana, are without air and are without clean, unclogged streets," the former minister said.

Albania's power utility, OSHEE, has scrapped a tender to buy electricity for March 11th to March 20th , after the country's power generator, KESH, offered to supply it directly with 270 MWh of electricity at a reference price.

Opposition leader Lulzim Basha accused the public utility company OSHEE of buying electricity from traders at the price of 57 euro per MWh, while at the same time the Albania Power Corporation, KESH, was selling traders electricity for 38 euro per MWh.

"All this abuse cost Albanian taxpayers four million euro in two weeks," Basha told a press conference on Friday.

According to a statement on Wednesday, the HIDAA has filed charges with the prosecutor's office against 16 officials, including former Socialist MP Harasani, under article 257/a of the criminal code.

If found guilty, the ex-MP faces a sentence ranging from a fine up to three years of imprisonment.