Flash News

Counting ends in Kukës district, DP wins 2 mandates

Egnatia is declared champion of Albania, ending Vllaznia's 24-year dream

DP leads in Kavaja against SP

Financial Times / Rama wins fourth term: the creation of a cosmetic pluralism is at risk

Neither PS, nor DP/ In Vau i Dejës, Tom Doshi's party is declared the leading force

OP-ED

Airport, hotels and climber: How Albania rises against itself

Politiko 2022-05-10 17:43:10
Airport, hotels and climber: How Albania rises against itself

Alfred Lela

Albania was built with an airport in 2005. I say 'made' to distinguish between a barrack in the middle of a field, around which grazed cows, which served as an aerodrome until then, and a modern project, which although small in the parameters was respectable. at least aesthetically and hygienically. For weeks, something on that normal island has been floating toward abnormality. We will see the full form when the 'reformatting' of the airport is closed, but some disturbing interventions can be noticed already. For example, the optional park-like grassy space that defined the airport parking lot and sidewalks. This comes either from the idea to win, so when there are no seats in the designed space, the administrators allow parking on the sidewalk and in the bar, or the Albanian 'tribe' style has been introduced. So it's our property and we,

One thing must be kept in mind: although it is under private management, the airport is public property and represents the image of Albania and Albanians. Especially when we baptized him in the name of a good man of our tribe, St. Teresa.

Whatever the reason, however, turning cars into deer or replacing former cows grazing in or around the airport is misery in itself. There is another very harsh intervention, which has to do with the narrowing of the vertical spaces of the airport, more precisely the lowering of the high roof (ceiling) until yesterday, presumably with the purpose of a second floor. Tirana will soon be the only airport in Europe with a double-peak height as that of a typical Albanian apartment. For Albanian reception destinations before high-altitude travel, the dome of the sky, which is imitated by all airports in the world, will soon fall. Apparently from the brutal intervention with iron and concrete, the Rinas of tomorrow will resemble the waiting room of prisoners in an American re-education institution.

Unfortunately, the airport is managed by a powerful Albanian group, Kastrati, and since Skanderbeg is in the coat of arms and manages one of Albania's postcards, its only international airport, it would be expected the board of the company in question to look beyond the short nose of financial benefits and respected this symbol given to him in use. Since it is not his, like a rented apartment, he can not return it worse than he has received. He is even expected to return it better, because he got it to win, not for the public good. It also remains to be seen how the spaces that will be created by narrowing the dome will be utilized. They will be at the service of the Albanian and foreign customer who uses the airport, or more commercial spaces.

A second case that is related to tourism and the business sense of the Albanian capitalist is the stratospheric increase in the price of hotels on the eve of the final match of the Europa Conference League, between Rome and Feyenoord. Foreign friends have written to me, and perhaps even some of you, almost with alarm about a price increase, understandable in such cases, but not at that level. The fever to raise the prices of 5 or 4-star hotel rooms, but do not deserve more than 3 or 2, will have a boomerang effect. The first will be the negative contrast between room quality and price. Foreigners who come to Tirana for this occasion are football fans, but not stupid. They know that this is a trading trap in which, although they may admit to falling out of trouble they will not understand it. For hotel owners I have a tip: save the rooms! Angry football fans do not have to behave well when they know they have been manipulated in price. And if they do not behave well, hotel owners will have no one to complain to. At least the public will not want to hear them (it is, of course, always possible to imitate the 'bravery' of the Coast Headache).

The third case is also related to tourism but has a tragic end. A German climber has lost his life along the Valbona-Theth crossing. It has fallen into the abyss, in an event somewhat similar to the one I involved myself in a few months ago. I am recalling the incident because I learned from acquaintances in Valbona that the assistance of the Search and Rescue Unit from Kosovo has been requested. This is because in the absence of tools and expertise we could not find the fallen climber. It's a scene that repeats itself before my eyes because I saw it myself a while ago. Specialized units arrived after 7-8 hours, while the police of Puka and Mirdita Commissariats after five hours. The latter had no means. Even dressed were worse than the villagers of the area. These are only episodic compared to what we saw in the earthquake tragedy when searched through the ruins with beaks. However, the question remains: why do not we have a skilled and professional Rescue-Search force that can make us feel both proud and confident? If the answer is that we are poor, remember how stupid they become every day with public money, and how much of it is spent on almost government jokes about concerts, parties, and the like.

These three cases, which took place in the very short span of just one week, reminded me of the despair of my country, Albania rising against itself. Because do not let it come out on its own. This would have a price, which is not paid today nor yesterday and has no way of bearing fruit today or tomorrow.

That prize always ends up as a win in someone’s pocket. 

Latest news