The exploitation of natural assets has not given the right impact in the
country’s economy due to non-transparent policies in giving permits,
and the high level of informality.
“The public has not received what it deserves. Especially with the mines we have illegal activities and royalty payments that are not calculated properly due to illegal activities”, declared Damian Gjiknuri, Minsiter of Energy and Industry.
Besides increasing control for fighting the chaos created in mines, due to the fragmentation of permits, the Minister of Energy declared that the government is preparing new legal amends that will address these problems. As for the fuel industry, Gjiknuri declared that for the first time in 20 years, the new blocks of oil resources will be given through an auction.
“The phenomenon of taking licenses only to sell them creates short connections with politics. That’s why the government has decided to use an auction for the first time after 20 years for the undiscovered oil fields”, Gjiknuri declared.
The Minister of Environment, Lefter Koka, declared that the lack of vision in exploiting the natural assets has caused damages to the Albanian nature.
“The natural assets have been exploited in a barbarian way. The oil extraction industry has caused environmental damages, same as the energy industry”, Koka declared.
By the end of the year, the government will make transparent the list of operators who have profited concessions through these years in the oil and energy industry, and the implementation phases of their agreements.
Present in this discussion were the OSCE ambassador, Florian Rauning, and the United States Ambassador, Alexander Arvizu. They underlined the need to increase transparency and security measures (especially in the mining sector) and fight against informality.
“A business will not invest in the oil extraction industry without profit. But if this is done as it should, these companies could profit. Investments will come in Albania and will employ people. Fewer informalities, more formality, and this is something good, not bad”, Arvizu declared.
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