Albania awards 35-year concession for Kukes airport to Dutch-Albanian tie-up

Albania awards 35-year concession for Kukes airport to Dutch-Albanian tie-up

Kukes airport was completed in 2006, but was not put into operation as the government granted a monopoly for international flights to Tirana International Airport.

By bne IntelliNews January 15, 2019

The Albanian Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy has awarded a concession to a consortium of Dutch company NACO and local firms Global Technical Mechanics and Bami to operate Kukes airport, which is currently out of operation.

Kukes airport will offer low-cost flights and will be the second operational airport in the country.

The government of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama promised that Kukes airport will be made operational and new airports would be built in the country after the exclusive rights over international flights held by Tirana airport were removed in 2016.

The tie-up will invest €8mn to develop the airport, Albanian Daily News reported.

The concession, awarded on January 11, was given for a period of 35 years.

The new airport is expected to contribute to the development of one of Albania’s poorest regions.

The airport, which is officially called Kukes International Airport Shaikh Zayed is named after a major founder of the United Arab Emirates, Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who personally financed the project.

The airport was completed in 2006, but remained out of operation as the then government granted a monopoly to Tirana International Airport for international flights.

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