Ekaterina Solovova, the director of the EBRD for Albania, says that the project for the Tirana-Durres railway is expected to be finalized within the given deadlines.
In an interview for Euronews Albania, Solovova also responded to the criticism of Prime Minister Edi Rama, who in the joint conference with the President of the EC blamed the EBRD bureaucracies for the late launch of this project.
The senior official of the EBRD said that in Albania the sector railway has been non-existent for many years, so many investments in infrastructure and capacities are needed.
She thanked the Albanian authorities for their patience, while emphasizing that she understands their impatience. Solovova expressed full confidence that the project will be finalized within the deadlines.
“The project is being implemented for several weeks and months, 30 percent is completed and we hope it will be completed on time. It is not the first project of the EBRD, we have financed 1 billion euros in the Balkans, especially for the railway. The sector has been non-existent in Albania and there have been many investments in infrastructure and capacity. EBRD and EU co-finance the project and time is needed for such a complex project, so in such cases the deadlines can be postponed. But we have already removed all social and environmental obstacles to close it within the deadlines”, said the EBRD official.
In addition, she stated that the benefits from the construction of this railway are not only social, but also economic, while highlighting that 250 people have been employed for its construction so far.
“The benefits will be visible from the moment the train starts running to connect the two largest cities of Albania, Tirana and Durrës. By rail, the distance between them will be less than half an hour. Also, it can reduce the density of road traffic, especially during weekends at the beach. There is also an economic benefit for transporting goods. More than 250 people are employed in this project. This railway will be part of the Mediterranean corridor that will be connected to the EU network, which means that there will be clear benefits and integration in the EU”, said Solovova.
Prime Minister Edi Rama in a joint conference with the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen on Thursday in Tirana, said that in the spring of 2024 we will have the Tirana-Durrës and Tirana-Durrës-Rinas railway.
