Electoral flight to Vlora

A week before the 2021 parliamentary elections, an 'Air Albania' airliner landed in Kukës to inaugurate the 'ZAYED – North Wings' international airport. Four years later, a similar scenario was repeated in Vlora. The runway of the new international airport was inaugurated with the first certification flight three days before the elections.

'Vlora will be an international airport for the whole year, not just a tourist airport,' said Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Afrim Krasniqi, head of the Institute of Political Studies, sees the inauguration of the Vlora airport as another case of using public projects for electoral gains.

“A new airport is being built in Albania and of course, the inauguration takes place before the elections,” he says ironically, adding that while the airport itself may be positive news, the way it is being promoted turns it into a typical example of electoral speculation and abuse.

Vlora Airport is located in the village of Akërni, near the picturesque Narta Lagoon. Work on its construction began on November 28, 2021.

"Today we are here with a fantastic alliance for the future of the airport, which is the alliance with Munich Airport, one of the greatest air transport powers not only in Europe, but also in the world," declared Rama during the inauguration ceremony of the works.

But today, Rama did not mention this alliance that until a few months ago he valued so much.

Fact

Contrary to what the prime minister stated, the 'fantastic' alliance for the future of the airport with Munich Airport ended before this airport began operations. In a special reaction to Faktoje.al, Munich International Airport emphasizes that there are no further negotiations for their role as advisors at Vlora Airport.

The 2-year contract between Munich Airport International (MAI) – a subsidiary of Flughafen München GmbH – and Vlora Airport was fully fulfilled at the end of April.

"There are no plans for MAI or Flughafen München GmbH to operate Vlora Airport and, as mentioned earlier, the current consultancy contract ends at the end of April 2025," Robert Wilhelm, media relations coordinator at Flughafen München GmbH, told Faktoje.al.

"MAI had no influence or decision-making power regarding the planning and selection of the location of the new airport," Wilhelm further explains.

From the beginning, local and international environmental organizations opposed the project. According to environmental activists, the airport threatens the continuity of species in the protected landscape, but also the safety of potential flights. These warnings fell on deaf ears in Albania, but not in Germany.

On October 23, 2024, a petition signed by around 500 Germans, activists and environmental experts was submitted to the Munich City Hall, demanding the termination of Munich Airport's cooperation with the construction of Vlora Airport in Albania. A few months later, Munich Airport withdrew from the project.

Munich as a propaganda 'tool'

Aleksandër Trajçe, executive director of the Center for the Preservation and Protection of the Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA), raises concerns that the alleged involvement of Munich Airport in the Vlora airport project has served from the beginning as a propaganda tool, to create the illusion of a strong international partnership and to hide the lack of transparency as well as the real negative impact on the environment.

"Now that the contract with Munich has ended and is not being renewed, this "alliance" is no longer being mentioned by the government, clearly showing that there was no sustainability or long-term will in this cooperation and that everything was contrived to justify a completely non-transparent and environmentally destructive project," he argues.

According to Trajçe, the airport project does not represent a sustainable vision for the country's development, but a destructive intervention that risks eradicating one of the most important ecosystems in the Mediterranean - the Vjosa delta.

“This is not an empty place waiting for concrete,” he emphasizes, “but a natural treasure of extraordinary value that must be protected for our common future.”

cONcluSiON

Prime Minister Edi Rama's statement about a "fantastic alliance for the future of Vlora airport" with Munich Airport turns out to be untrue. The cooperation with Munich Airport International was limited to a two-year consultancy contract, without decision-making influence or involvement in operations, and ended before the airport began operating. / Faktoje.al