Security Academy poisoning scandal: 'Sori-al' with red flags in procurement procedures; disqualifications and lack of competition

What happened?

56 students of the Security Academy in Tirana were hospitalized after suspected food poisoning after consuming food distributed on the institution's premises. The incident has led to the launch of investigations and the arrest of two people connected to the catering service.

context

The event has brought back into focus the way food is supplied to public security institutions, including the State Police, the Security Academy and other state structures, which operate through food cooking and distribution service contracts.

Who is "Sori-al"?

“Sori-al” shpk is a private catering company that has won several public contracts for food service in state institutions. It appears as an economic operator in several procedures developed by the Centralized Purchasing Operator (CPO), including the Security Academy, the State Police, as well as regional hospitals and other public institutions.

The chain of public contracts: millions of lek in long-term agreements

Public procurement data shows that "Sori-al" shpk has secured consecutive contracts with significant values ​​in the public sector:

2024 – Military Department No. 5001 (Ministry of Defense)

Contract worth 339,176,510 lek including VAT, with a term of 48 months, for food service for military personnel.

2024 – “Ali Mihali” Psychiatric Hospital, Vlora

Contract worth 302,149,920 lek excluding VAT, with a term of 48 months, for food service in a highly sensitive healthcare institution.

2024 – Berat Regional Hospital

Contract worth 102,245,085 lek excluding VAT, with a term of 48 months, for the supply of food to patients and staff.

2022 – Security Academy

Contract worth approximately 206,639,287 lek excluding VAT, with a 3-year term, for food service for trainees and employees.

2018 – Security Academy

Contract worth approximately 170,196,959 lek excluding VAT, with a term of 36 months, for food service in the same institution.

Concentration of contracts, monopolization?

Data analysis shows that the same company has secured contracts in several sensitive public sectors: security, military and health. This includes institutions such as the Security Academy, State Police structures, military units and regional hospitals.

This concentration of contracts in a single operator has raised questions about the way catering services are distributed in public institutions, as well as their dependence on a few companies.

Tenders also for hospitals and other institutions

In addition to security structures, "Sori-al" shpk also results in winning in health institutions:

"Ali Mihali" Psychiatric Hospital – over 302 million lek excluding VAT

Berat Regional Hospital – over 102 million lek excluding VAT

These contracts include food service for patients in institutions where food safety standards are essential.

'Red flag' in multi-million tenders: lack of competition and disqualifications

In some of the procurement procedures where the company "Sori-al" shpk was declared the winner, the documentation includes notes classified as "red flags", which in analytical evaluations of tenders are used as risk signals for lack of competition and possible exposure to violations of legal compliance or unethical practices in public procurement.

In the case of the “Ali Mihali” Psychiatric Hospital in Vlora, the disqualification of all competing operators except the winner and the disqualification of the lowest value bid are evidenced, while in the tender for Military Department No. 5001 at the Ministry of Defense, “red flag” indicators related to a lack of competition and potential risk in the evaluation process were also found, being considered as signals for further verifications and not as evidence of a legal violation.

 

NFA findings: problems in traceability and supply chain

The National Food Authority has conducted field inspections, where it has determined that the food was not prepared on site, but came ready-made as catering from the entity "Sori-al", produced in the premises of "Skënderbej Garrison" in Tirana.

During the inspections, quantities of food products were blocked (85.9 kg at one point and 67.3 kg plus 1,350 eggs at another), while samples were taken for microbiological analysis at ISUV. Due to the lack of a complete traceability system, two administrative measures were imposed with a fine of 100 thousand lek.