The Vlora International Airport, expected to be completed by the end of this year and operational next year, has raised the need to prepare the necessary staff from state-owned aviation-related companies.

Albcontrol, which manages and controls Albanian airspace (FIR) according to international air navigation standards, recently announced the necessary recruitments to fill staff positions as a result of the increase in the number of airports in the country.

Specifically, regarding the Vlora International Airport, Albcontrol announced the filling of positions with 6 engineers, 7 ARO specialists, and 7 METEO observers. The primary requirement is a first-level degree in engineering sciences, electronic engineering, telecommunications, computer science, ICT, information technology, mathematics, physics, and natural sciences, along with a secondary requirement of proficiency in English. The recruitments will remain open until the end of this month.

Progress at VIA

During an annual analysis, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure also provided details on the progress of the Vlora airport just a day ago.

“We are waiting for the completion of Vlora, an airport that is 32 percent complete in total, but the more important parts that carry the highest volume have progressed much higher than the overall progress. We aim to deliver the Vlora airport in December 2024, giving the Aviation Authority, the concessionaire, and the operator, which is the Munich airport, the opportunity to start shadow operations to test every navigation procedure and equipment with the hope that in the spring of 2025, the first flights from Vlora will take place. Vlora is not a seasonal but an international airport,” said the minister.

Concession

In early 2021, the Government announced the winner of the concession for the Vlora Airport with an investment offer of 103 million euros, involving two companies: Mabco Constructions SA with investor Behgjet Pacolli and Turkish partner YDA Insaat Sanayi ve Ticaret. In December 2022, Mabco took full control of the shares.

The Government has applied for the traffic guarantee for this project.

According to publicly available documents at the time, the guaranteed revenues in the base scenario for the first 10 years of operation are projected to be 9.6 million euros in the fourth year, 10.3 in the fifth year, 11.2 for the sixth, 12.1 for the seventh, and so on, with a peak of 18.6 million euros in the thirteenth year from the contract signing.

In total, the guaranteed revenues should be around 138 million euros. The contract stipulates that the airport should be completed in 2024.