
In the draft state budget for the next year, in addition to the projects that have started, a number of new projects will be financed. They include several sectors such as flood protection infrastructure, rural development, fisheries support, road construction and maintenance, shipping projects, education, and the military.
The most important among them, but also the one that will absorb more money from the state coffers, is the first phase of the construction of the new Integrated Commercial Port of Durrës in Porto Romano. For this project, a total of 49,150 billion ALL has been provided, financing that will extend until 2027. But, for the next year, 14,745 billion ALL is planned.
The international competition for the construction of this sea port was opened on July 30 of this year and it is expected that the contract with the winning company that will carry out the works will be signed in March 2025. This port will not only serve Albania, but also Kosovo and Macedonia of the North, as it will be connected through the railway with two dry ports in Pristina and Struga.
Returning to domestic financing for new projects next year, a significant amount will go to infrastructure projects. The novelty is the start of works for the construction of the By-pass of Saranda, the first and second phase. In total, the financing will be 3.4 billion ALL, while 680 million ALL will be disbursed for the next year.
Next year, the works for the construction of the new road Kashar-Nyja e Vaqarri will start, where it is planned to be financed for 2025 with 1,460 billion ALL. After the opening of the Llogara tunnel to traffic this year, next year 320 million ALL are planned for the construction of connecting roads with this axis.
However, new high-value funding is also planned for the combat forces, with the aim of modernizing the Albanian army. Thus, the purchase of ammunition and light weapons will cost the budget over 11.5 billion ALL, where for 2025, about 960 million ALL are planned. We should also not forget the completion of the air force with UH-60 "Blackhawk" helicopters, which will cost the state budget 570 million ALL for the next year alone.