Millions of euros start to be confiscated from Albania, directed to Becchetti's pocket?

Edi Rama and Francesco Becchetti

 A local media - MCN - claims to have discovered that the Italian businessman has blocked Albania's accounts in Eurocontrol by confiscating millions of euros of income that should come to Albcontrol. Although the news in Tirana is kept a state secret by the government, MCN managed to confirm it from three independent sources at the highest levels, one of which is part of Eurocontrol.

But how is the money being received?

Every country that is part of the common European airspace, ie that is part of Eurocontrol, earns income from the use of its airspace. To put it bluntly, every aircraft that passes through the airspace of Albania, pays a certain fee, which in technical terms is known as an en-route charge.

These fees are paid by the airlines to Eurocontrol in Brussels. Eurocontrol then periodically distributes these to the respective countries. In the case of Albania, Eurocontrol pours the money into the coffers of Albcontrol, the Albanian air navigation services company.

In 2019, Albania earned 25.3 million euros from the airspace usage fee. In 2020, when air traffic was significantly reduced due to the pandemic the turnout fell to 11 million. But this year, with the recovery of the aviation industry, flights have marked a significant increase and revenues should also have increased. However, no revenue from the airspace usage fee is being entered into Albcontrol's coffers.

Albcontrol's account in Eurocontrol is blocked and for months the income that should have been transferred to Albania goes directly to the account of the Italian businessman.

MCN has learned that so far, Becchetti has confiscated a minimum of 3 to 4 million euros.

Albania's account in Eurocontrol will continue to be blocked until the Italian businessman confiscates the entire amount of the fine of 110 million euros, which together with the interest has already reached 120 million euros.

So Albania has already started to pay the heavy tribute of the trial with Beccheti, while the government in Tirana promises that Beccheti will not receive any money.