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| Gjirokastër Airfield |
The Albanian government has announced its intention to launch a competition within this year for the construction of a new airport in Gjirokastër. This decision comes in response to the lack of investor interest in building an airport in Sarandë, as initially planned.
Local authorities and business representatives in Gjirokastër have welcomed the decision as a further step towards realizing their efforts to build an airport in the city. Gjirokastër, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005, has been pushing for an airport for years.
Belinda Balluku, the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, explained that plans for a new airport in the south of the country needed to be reconsidered.
"We had to review all our plans regarding the efficiency of the airport in southern Albania. Considering that we have an airfield in Gjirokastër, and taking into account that the already built infrastructure connecting Gjirokastër with Sarandë allows for a commute of no more than 35 to 45 minutes, and on the other hand, considering that tourism in Albania is not limited to the coast but is flourishing everywhere—look at Tirana, which continues to attract visitors, or the number of visitors Gjirokastër, Permet, Tepelena, Korça have had—an airport in the south is designed for the Gjirokastër area and will serve the entire region, including Sarandë and Ksamil," stated Minister Balluku.
Local actors in Gjirokastër see the new decision positively, as the Forum for Airport Construction and the local government have been making efforts for the approval of the airport for years.
Llambi Margariti, a representative of the Forum, stated that Gjirokastër has finally gained what it has been seeking for a long time: the construction of a tourist airport.
"Throughout this time, the Municipality, having it as its property, did not allow the airport area to be transformed by constructions. This area has been preserved at its best, and last year it was licensed by the Civil Aviation Service for sports flights. Efforts will continue to make this dream a reality," said Mr. Margariti.
Maksi Hoxha, the Chairman of the Gjirokastër Chamber of Commerce, expressed that the news is very positive, especially for tourist businesses.
"Gjirokastër has experienced significant growth, especially in the tourism sector. The past years have shown this, and expectations for this year are high. The construction of the airport would give a significant boost to the development of tourism and more, as an airport as an investment intersects with a large number of businesses," stated Mr. Hoxha.
Flamur Golemi, the Mayor of Gjirokastër, told Voice of America that the new airport will benefit the entire tourist region.
"It is positive and welcome news, not only for the city of Gjirokastër and the Gjirokastër County. Here, we are talking about a joint tourist offer between Sarandë and Gjirokastër. With this increasing number of tourists we had in 2023 and expect in 2024, the airport is an important development point and will bring more employment and economic development to this area," said Mr. Golemi.
Gjirokastër Airport has a historical tradition. The first air route Tirana-Gjirokastër-Tirana started on August 11, 1929, and operated only under optimal weather conditions.
Until the end of World War II, Gjirokastër Airport served small aircraft flights to Tirana, Korça, and Brindisi in Italy. A few years ago, flights with small sports planes started to be organized at Gjirokastër airport. Just last year, there were around 100 flights of this kind.