Vlora, Fier, Durres: Geopolitical hub in the Adriatic Sea
airport
09 Feb 2023
/ 02:22
Albania΄s accession to NATO also meant its participation in the Energy Charter.
When Albania's intention to build a large international airport in the south of the country first became known, at least to us, doctor Sali Berisha was the Prime Minister of Albania, followed by Professor Fatos Nano. The first information about the airport concerned the valley just behind the Saranda city. There were even scale models and sketches.
When Berisha was Prime Minister, he activated relations with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to attract resources. The latter were used to fund the construction of an airport in Kukes, which never operated normally! The problems were caused by Germany, under whose supervision was Albania's airspace. The authorities thought that these two airports in a small country like Albania would weaken the viability of the "Mother Teresa'' airport in Tirana.
Since then, Turkish airlines contributed to the establishment of the airport and took over the Albanian national airlines, while the search for an area for its construction in the Albanian South included Gjirokaster, the largest city north of Ioannina.
Thus, in 2021 the construction of the international airport in Vlora began. The aim to boost tourism is not enough to justify this project. New international airports, such as the Athens Airport, use 1/5 of the area they own purely for aviation use. The rest is for commercial use.
The Turkish and Kosovar construction companies of the airport are acting geostrategically. A little further north, at Fier, there are the compression facilities and tanks protecting the flow of the TAP gas pipeline, which is connecting underwater to the coast of San Foca in the Italian municipality of Melendugno. Thus, Vlora was chosen - Albania's first capital.
The confirmation of the geostrategic value of the coast closest to Italy was made possible when the then Prime Minister Berisha expressed his satisfaction at the country's entry into the "era of a secure future"! Until then, all the routes of the East-West hydrocarbon pipelines in our region passed between Corfu and Paxos and then underwater to Italy. Albania's accession to NATO also meant its participation in the Energy Charter.
Then the central Albanian sea front was also upgraded, while by the end of 2024 it will also have the Vlora international airport. Vlora is again becoming a hub in the new geographical environment of the region, exploited for the benefit of Ankara.
When Berisha was Prime Minister, he activated relations with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to attract resources. The latter were used to fund the construction of an airport in Kukes, which never operated normally! The problems were caused by Germany, under whose supervision was Albania's airspace. The authorities thought that these two airports in a small country like Albania would weaken the viability of the "Mother Teresa'' airport in Tirana.
Since then, Turkish airlines contributed to the establishment of the airport and took over the Albanian national airlines, while the search for an area for its construction in the Albanian South included Gjirokaster, the largest city north of Ioannina.
Thus, in 2021 the construction of the international airport in Vlora began. The aim to boost tourism is not enough to justify this project. New international airports, such as the Athens Airport, use 1/5 of the area they own purely for aviation use. The rest is for commercial use.
The Turkish and Kosovar construction companies of the airport are acting geostrategically. A little further north, at Fier, there are the compression facilities and tanks protecting the flow of the TAP gas pipeline, which is connecting underwater to the coast of San Foca in the Italian municipality of Melendugno. Thus, Vlora was chosen - Albania's first capital.
The confirmation of the geostrategic value of the coast closest to Italy was made possible when the then Prime Minister Berisha expressed his satisfaction at the country's entry into the "era of a secure future"! Until then, all the routes of the East-West hydrocarbon pipelines in our region passed between Corfu and Paxos and then underwater to Italy. Albania's accession to NATO also meant its participation in the Energy Charter.
Then the central Albanian sea front was also upgraded, while by the end of 2024 it will also have the Vlora international airport. Vlora is again becoming a hub in the new geographical environment of the region, exploited for the benefit of Ankara.
