Top Channel has secured part from the transcript of the May 13th meeting
of the Airport Security Council, when the report with the results of
the secret testing was made available to their leaders, as reported by
Top Channel since this Saturday.
But this report met the indifference of Airport Partners, who defended the ICTS security firm in the meeting with high-level representatives.
Aleksander Lipivani, Director of the Civil Aviation Authority, has shown the members present in the meeting how they have passed explosives through the airport gates, exactly at the door where the robbery took place.
The representatives of Airport Partners give no explanation about the security breach, and they are not so ready to give police direct access to the airport’s security cameras.
Ilir Alimema, “Airport Partners”: Thank you. We are all aware of this, but only when we have the report officially and see the details, we can give our suggestions.
Aleksandër Lipivani, Civil Aviation: The report will arrive, but the camera system is a problem that we have discussed other times in this committee, and we see no improvement. It is not tolerable that only 15% of the cameras are functional.
Ilir Alimema: If it is part of the report, you will receive an answer for that too.
Aleksandër Lipivani: It doesn’t matter if it is part of the report or not. These flaws were found by other audits too, by international partners.
Genc Merepeza, Border Directory: This has been discussed in all meeting we have had. The other problem is the perimeter security which is damaged in some places.
Bahri Shaqiri, Ministry of Transportation: These problems are not new and we are not seeing any change coming from your company.
Ilir Alimema: I have nothing more to add.
Aleksandër Lipivani: You have been informed about everything through the meetings between Mr.Bujar wih Mr.Vangjel Nikolla in our premises. Now everything is known and registered for the cameras.
Genc Merepeza: Since we have the Airport representative here, I would like a sincere answer regarding the company that makes the security services. Are they doing their job properly? We need to work hard today so that we don’t regret it tomorrow.
Ilir Alimema: I can confirm they do an excellent job. This is the 11th year that the company works there. They have been licensed and recognized by the Authority for the 11th year, under constant supervision. The leaders of this company are certified by the Authority, so there is nothing else I can add. AS for the camera ccess problem, we have a contractual obligation and that is the concessionary agreement, and what it says about you having access to those cameras.
Genc Merepeza: We want to have access and to receive footage in real time. Why shold I wait for your phone call, telling me that a situation is evolving. We could have a police employee accommodated at the camera room with his own number and button to give alerts at the right moment.
Ilir Alimema: Without judging the request, I think that TIA needs a specific request from your authority for the camera access. A detailed request for how you perceive it and what you want to realize, so that we can see in details what we can do and what you can do.
Genc Merepeza: We have seen the camera room with the monitors and you told us there is no more room, because the space is very small for us.
Teuta Krasniqi, Independent Security Expert: How is it possible that the police has no access to these cameras? If something happens inside the Tirana Airport, no one will say that the airport has a German contractor. If we will have another contractor, we will need to see the agreement carefully. The role of the police should be specified in the draft that will be prepared so that the police can access all the cameras of the airport.
Top Channel
