Presentation of EITI 2016 Report and Promotion of Transparency in Natural Resources Utilization in Albania

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy in cooperation with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) organized a conference on ‘Presentation of the EITI 2016 Report and Promotion of Transparency in Natural Resources Utilization in Albania’. Present at this conference were Vice-Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Enis Aliko, as well as the Secretary General of MIE, Gentian Keri, Director of the Albanian National Secretariat of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Ardit Kamberi, and the head of the Trade and Environment Production Activity Committee Eduard Shalsi.

The Director of the Albanian National Secretariat of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Ardit Kamberi said that the law on the transparency of extractive industry activities will soon pass in parliament.

Congratulating the EITI on the results, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Mr. Enis Aliko, said that the work of the civil society, as a representative of the Albanian people, is important, and that it should push the institutions in achieving this transparency.

“As you know, Albania has become a member of the EITI since 2009. Its aim is to increase transparency, fight corruption and increase the population’s benefit from natural resources that ultimately are the property of the state, citizens “, said Deputy. Minister Aliko.

While urging the work to start work on drafting the 2017 report as soon as possible, Deputy Minister Aliko said that a better job for collecting and reporting data on businesses should be done it has been delayed.

‘We have been dealing with data collection, there have been difficulties in reporting, and I hope that this meeting in 2018 will take place on time and serve to prepare a full and timely report as quickly as possible.’ – stressed Aliko, while evaluating that the quality of EITI reports has been increasing over the years, but there is still room for improvement.

These improvements are due to the increased role of the inter-agency working group, hence better coordination of work, better coordination among us, more frequent meetings. Improving the timing of data reporting is very important, improving the quality of data is also very important. There are some businesses that provide certified and audited data that are examples of excellence in Albania, but there are other businesses that are back in this regard, where data is not guaranteed for quality, “said Aliko, taking as an example of chrome mining rent, for which said within the database in data reporting there is room for improvement.

Focusing on the initiative for true transparency in the extractive industry, Aliko said that it was reflected in the Draft Law and will be discussed this year with interest groups, the public, etc. to reveal this part of the real owners companies.

“The government has laws for environmental impact and environmental impact warranties, which require that all companies involved in the extraction of natural resources make a guarantee of environmental rehabilitation in favor of the Albanian state, a guarantee that is either released after the environment has been rehabilitated at the end of the activity of these companies, or if companies do not do the work the state uses to rehabilitate the environment, “said Aliko among others.

In conclusion, while expressing the ministry’s support to EITI, Deputy Minister Aliko once again emphasized the increase of transparency in order to attract serious investors to our country.