Albania is set to soon unveil a new Information Technology and Cybersecurity Pole, a significant project currently under development along the Ring Road of Tirana, at the roundabout connecting the Sauk area and the Artificial Lake.
Covering an area of more than 9,000 square meters, this second major project in the field of cybersecurity, following the Security and Defense Innovation Center, will consist of a large complex of government buildings. Several agencies operating in the fields of information and cybersecurity will be housed in this facility.
Prime Minister Edi Rama visited the construction site today, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Belinda Balluku, who provided detailed information about the project.
We are located at the Sauk junction, with full access to the Great Ring Road of Tirana. This position has been chosen to build the Cybersecurity Pole, where ACESK, ASIG, and the Financial Intelligence Agency will be accommodated.
It is a 9,600-square-meter area, with an existing building remaining from previous private projects, but after completing all the necessary procedures regarding the land exchange and having a very good design task from the three companies and institutions that will be part of this pole, we now have a project and are ready to start with the construction site.
It is planned to have an above-ground building that will reach 4,000 square meters, while the underground area will be 5,800 square meters, with some of the offices located at level -1 for security reasons, where the servers and other operational offices will be. On the other hand, level -2 will be parking with over 115 parking spaces. It is also expected that the cybersecurity academy will be located here, which we have already discussed extensively, considering that Albania has taken significant steps since the summer of 2022 in cybersecurity, improving our position by 23 places in the global cybersecurity protection index and even winning the first prize at the global meeting of cybersecurity protection institutions, -explained Deputy Prime Minister Balluku
Therefore, it should be noted that the need we have for increasing capacities in the field of cybersecurity has compelled us to establish this academy, which will be active not only for those who will work at ACESK but also for those at ASIG or even those working in financial intelligence.
The hall is planned to be a modular hall, which will change according to the events held there and will be usable by all three institutions that are expected to stay within this building, – said Deputy Prime Minister Balluku
Prime Minister Edi Rama: We have a company with a proven track record, and I am very confident that not only will the work be of high quality, but it will also be completed on time. The completion deadline is 18 months, but based on your experience, it could potentially be finished even sooner. This building is crucial for us because it meets high security standards due to the activities inside. Both the Cybersecurity Agency, which, the Deputy Prime Minister mentioned, has gained particular importance and made significant progress, and has recently been equipped with cutting-edge technology, which places us high in European rankings for protection, and the Artificial Intelligence Agency, which handles very sensitive data related to financial transactions and is key in efforts to help Albania exit the gray list and in the fight against tax evasion, and especially money laundering from criminal activities. So, this is a building of great importance, with an excellent location that is both isolated and close to the city center, making it ideal for traffic flow. Additionally, it marks the first phase of further development to establish new standards for the academy, the police, and the security academy.
