The city of Elbasan today hosted the unveiling of the detailed project for the Auto Moto Park – an international sports complex built to the highest standards set by FIA and FIM. Designed to welcome the world’s most prestigious racing events, including Formula 1, the venue is expected to draw 300,000 live spectators and captivate over 1 billion viewers globally. With this ambitious project, Elbasan is set to transform into the new epicenter of sports tourism in the region.

The event, organized to mark the occasion, was also greeted with remarks from Prime Minister Edi Rama.

***

Greetings to all!
We continue our work and move forward with the development of the Auto Moto Park project, which—as already presented here—is a fully detailed initiative, designed in close collaboration with Formula 1. Every suggestion has been carefully followed, and every critique addressed, thanks to the dedicated team assigned to the project by the CEO of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali. Meanwhile, on the ground, work continues to prepare the entire terrain where the project will rise, including access points, entry and exit routes. If you’ve passed by the area—or happen to do so—you’ll notice that real progress is being made there.

Our ambition is that “Albania 2030” becomes the proud host of a Formula 1—something that, until recently, would have seemed unimaginable. In fact, it remains difficult to imagine even for countries far more prominent than ours. But here we are, proving once again that we can succeed even where the odds appear impossible. And let me be clear: this is not just about hosting a single race.
This is about installing a new engine into the heart of the Albanian economy.

This project is about the economy, not just car racing. And it’s about the economy because, over the span of all 360 days of the year, this development will create a destination. A destination with road safety at its core—where everyone, from young children to experienced drivers, and all those who wish to learn how to drive, will be required to engage with this center for the relevant testing and training processes, as part of our obligations as a future member of the European Union.

Our model for this initiative is the Vienna Road Safety Center, but as you may have noticed from the project presentation, the winning studio—selected through an international competition and working closely with Formula 1’s technical team—has designed a project that is truly innovative, even within the Formula 1 circuit family.

It’s innovative thanks to a series of solutions suggested directly by Formula 1’s technical staff, which make the Elbasan circuit a one-of-a-kind track, introducing several new features. These innovations align with Formula 1’s own criteria for adopting new circuits into its official racing calendar.

On the other hand, I’m very pleased that, despite an unpromising weather forecast—which Elbasan ended up defying by offering us a sunny day—we didn’t separate the two activities. We remained right here, in this very hall where Arbi gave part of the presentation. This hall, over 90 years ago, was made available to the community by a local family—an old Elbasan family among many others. A family that belonged to the cultural circle of this community, who purchased the land and built this building, which is historically known as the city’s library.

Here, we aim to carry out a significant restoration through the Ministry of Economy, Culture, and Innovation. First and foremost, to return the building to its former glory, recognizing it as a true cultural monument, and to create a book destination that preserves what has been maintained here over the years, while also embracing the new era—integrating modern technology and everything that comes with it.

So, from a major and ambitious project that will serve as an added engine for the national economy, to a small and local project that will become another jewel added to Elbasan’s necklace of cultural monuments—rescued from its current situation, where it has been overshadowed by a neighboring structure, an absurd construction clinging to its back, which we will separate from it.

We move forward in advancing the vision of uniting Tirana with Elbasan and integrating Elbasan as a vital extension of a growing metropolis—one that is increasingly taking shape as the metropolis of the next decade, with Tirana at its center, an outlet to the sea through Durrës, a northeastern reach toward Dibra, and on this side, Elbasan, through which key infrastructure passes, including the European network of corridors. Among them is Corridor VIII, which we successfully integrated into the European network during the EU–Western Balkans Summit held in Tirana in 2023.

Thank you very much—and the best days for Elbasan are still ahead.