Prime Minister Edi Rama conducted another inspection blitz in Durrës Customs Office this Sunday. Accompanied by the Customs Director General, Elisa Spiropali, the Prime Minister witnessed closely the intolerable conditions under which both Albanian and foreign business companies receive services in two tin kiosks that are even inundated during rainy days. Durres Customs is one of the key offices in the country in terms of the revenues it generates for the State budget.

The Director General of Customs expressed herself concerned with the service conditions for the business. “Imagine a business company coming to such an office to conduct a procedure. In the meantime, Durres and Tirana customs offices constitute 70 % of the total revenues collected by the customs system. The system itself collects 60 % of the State budget revenues,” Spiropali underlined.

On the other hand, Durres customs director, Edison Konomi, reiterated his concern for the existing state of Albania’s main gateway for every business entity, both national and foreign.

According to the Prime Minister Edi Rama, improvement of the service quality for the citizens is an imperative, also because it leads to the prevention of abuse, bribery and corruption. “There is no chance of delivering a professional service under these conditions and neither is there any chance for us to finally rid ourselves of the corruption, bribery, delays, dragged procedures that stem from this entire scandalous relationship under such situation. These are conditions that make it impossible for us to have a transparent system in place, an operational system, a system with the elementary norms respecting the rights of the people who need a service. This is unprecedented!” the Prime Minister underlined.

The Containers’ Customs is considered by the customs senior officials as a key element for the image of the country and the face our country is presented. “Customs officers who deal with the containers’ clearing work here. These are all inundated when it rains. This is 1/3 of Durres Customs,” Spiropali explained. In the meantime, the Containers’ Sector is of a very specific nature, due also to the fact that there takes place the majority of thetransits with the countries of the region, namely, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, etc.

“Torture, torture, torture! All of them come here, bring goods, and… It’s terrible! How can you ask from the business to be understanding? How can you ask for the understanding of all those who import, all those who come here? How can you ask for an understanding of this situation? Transformation within this year should absolutely be introduced with precedence and emergency as part of the plan, at any condition and cost,” Prime Minister Rama stated.

The Containers’ area has processed around 980, 000 tons of goods this year. For PM Edi Rama, “This situation that is shameful for the State and torturing for the business shall end with the new project for Durres Customs Office.”