Accelerated procedure for the Vlora Airport project

Speech of Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Damian Gjiknuri after the meeting of the Council of Ministers:

Today, the Council of Ministers passed an accelerated procedure, which will also go to the Albanian Parliament for the start of negotiations with one of the most serious offer consortiums for the Vlora airport. A news that Albanians have already heard, but the Council of Ministers has decided through an expedited procedure and with a special draft law to pave the way for one of the most important projects of air infrastructure in Albania.

It is a very serious proposal from the three largest Turkish companies, which in their union are the same companies that are building the Istanbul airport, the largest airport in the world. The feasibility study has been prepared by one of the largest international US companies for infrastructure works. We have declared that we are working on the construction of a new airport, which will not be the only one, but this started with a very important process realized during the four years of the first mandate, which was the release of airspace from the monopoly. This created the opportunity and increased the interest of foreign companies to invest in a second airport, much more modern and larger than Rinas.

This offer envisages an investment of nearly 100 million euros. It will be a completely private-funded project. In the government’s decision is foreseen to set up a negotiating team with representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy and the Ministry of Finance, as well as representatives from other institutions who will negotiate the details of this offer in a period of almost 90 days and later will be followed by the signing of the contract and the commencement of the works of the Vlora Airport. It will be an international airport, and it will be the best airport in Albania but I said it will not be the only one.

The Albanian government is working intensively for the creation of other access and operation of the Kukës Airport. We hope that we will have an optimal solution for it too soon, but at the same time we are also completing the feasibility study for the Saranda airport. This will be another important node, meaning the tourist airport that will serve the southern part of the country, and the Saranda area, which has a very high level of tourism and the capacity is increasing. Realistically, we are dealing with a real renaissance of all the air travel infrastructure in Albania.

Thank you and definitely following the public will be notified with all the details regarding the negotiation that will be done and the contract that will be reached with the consortium. One thing is for sure and this is to tell all Albanians that this airport will start to be built in a record time and it is a work that will change the site not only to the south of Albania, but Albania and Albanians will have alternative flight option. Albanians will have the opportunity to have one of the best airports in southeastern Europe and Albanian tourism will get a tremendous boost.

Thank you very much!