Press statement by Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku, following cabinet meeting:
In today’s Cabinet meeting, the Council of Ministers approved the signing of the Concession Contract on “Rehabilitation-operation-transfer of Kukes Airport.”
The procedure followed in finalizing this contract is based on the Law No. 125/ 2013 on Concessions and Public Private Partnership (PPP) changed amended by the Council of Ministers’ Decision No. 575, dated 10.7.2013 on identification, assessment, and granting of the concessions/PPPs amended.
The bidding process took place on December 2018 and the joint venture comprising companies Global Technical Mechanics was declared the winning bidder. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy has conducted an intense negotiating process with the tender winners.
The contract was negotiated and it was then forwarded to the respective institutions for an opinion that has been reflected and included in the signed final accord, which was approved today by a Council of Ministers’ decision. Its entry into force clears the way for the construction of the Kukes Airport.
The term of the concession contract will be 35 years.
The construction works duration and deadline for making the airport fully operational is 24 months, while the value of project to rehabilitate the Kukes Airport is about 8 EUR million.
Implementation of the construction project and management of the Kukes Airport operations later will hire initially at least 220 people.
Meanwhile, based on the calculations and comparison of data on similar projects, based also on the volume of construction works, the estimated number of employees due to be hired during the final stage of project implementation is around 12 000 persons.
The favourable geographic position and importance of development of this airport has attracted interest from largest low-cost carriers, including Wizz Air, EasyJet, RyanAir, Voeling, Pegasus, etc.
The preliminary studies show that the airport’s estimated influx is around 300 000 passengers a year and is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.
The goal is that through low prices and quality services, this airport serves as a point of reference for the regional movement of passengers especially from Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia.
Kukes Airport is expected to have a significant impact on the area’s economic development, turning it into a space of great interest for investment.
Kukes Airport is another kept promise, another clear indicator of the Government’s commitment to continue to fulfil its constitutional obligations to carry out strategic projects and to improve the citizens’ lives.
