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Gjirokastra Airport under concession - The race is on to hand it over to private companies, which oligarch has his eye on it?!

2026-11-08 22:06:33Fokus SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Gjirokastra Airport under concession - The race is on to hand it over to private
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Still without closing the state's own great wound with the Vlora Airport, where the partners who won the concession are fighting with each other for shares, or where large government clans are supporting one or the other, here comes the next project, again with airport games.

So far, we have seen runway construction, projects abandoned, tenders for studies and designs. Tens of millions of euros have been spent with the idea of ​​transforming Albania into a travel map, be it commercial, touristic or even seasonal.

However, the most scandalous thing is that projects drag on, tens or hundreds of millions of euros are spent, and yet Albania only has one airport, even one granted under concession, while Vlora is dragging on and Kukës is not moving at all.

In recent days, the Centralized Purchasing Operator has opened a highly suspicious procedure, this one aimed at studying the market before deciding on the concession of a huge area in Gjirokastra, where the city's aerodrome has operated for many years, which is functional for small and tourist aircraft, while the aim is to become international, at least with enough papers to get hold of a huge fortune.

Gjirokastra Airport under concession - The race is on to hand it over to private
Facsimile: Tender notice of the Centralized Purchasing Operator for the opening of the procedure for the construction, operation and transfer of Gjirokastra Airport 

According to documents available to Vox News, the Centralized Purchasing Operator has opened a tender for a market study “for the design, construction, operation, maintenance and transfer of the Gjirokastra International Airport.” The selection of external consultants is required to draft a feasibility study for the project.

"The aim is to conduct a market study in order to provide verifiable and comparable data that will serve to calculate the limit fund. Due to the special character of the project, the feasibility study requires the engagement of specialized expertise in various fields including, among others, civil aviation and airport infrastructure, technical, economic and financial analysis, legal and contractual issues, environmental and social aspects, as well as the identification, assessment and allocation of project risks ," the document states.

In short, a private firm is required to first conduct a market study and then grant it through a concession, just like the largest works in Albania, from south to north, from east to west, in the mountains or on the coast. Vox News has learned that some oligarchs have set their sights on it, to initially get their hands on the wealth and to operate in a field that is increasingly profitable.

The documents state that the consultant will forecast the demand for air transport, the coverage area, the expected airline network, the critical/design aircraft and runway performance requirements. Also the altitude and meteorological conditions, the terrain and obstacle environment, the intended operating model, the expected operations, the long-term development requirements and the economic and financial justification.

Gjirokastra Airport under concession - The race is on to hand it over to private
Facsimile: The procedure documents also provide for the concession of Gjirokastra Airport 

In other documents, it is intended to answer several questions: is the airport technically and operationally feasible? What type of airport should be developed to adequately respond to the anticipated demand?

Gjirokastra Airport under concession - The race is on to hand it over to private

Also, what should be the main functional and operational characteristics of the airport? Or is the proposed location suitable from an aeronautical point of view?

“The results should be developed at a sufficient level of detail to support decision-making on whether the project should proceed, the economic and financial analysis, the possible PPP/Concession model and, if approved, preparation for the subsequent Design Phase,” the document states. So, quite clearly, it will be awarded by concession.

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This article is exclusive to Vox News, and is copyrighted under Law No. 35/2016, "On Copyright and Related Rights". The article may be republished by other media only by citing Vox News and including a link to the source at the end, otherwise any violator will be held liable under Article 178 of Law No. 35/2016.

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