As expected, the Municipality of Saranda announced the winner of the auction for the lease of 60 hectares of land in the Heremeci area, Park Sol Energy. According to documents published by the Public Procurement Agency, Park Sol Energy was the only bidder in the auction, offering to pay 10 million and 560 thousand lek per year in rent for the 60-hectare area, on which it will build a photovoltaic park.
Despite strong opposition from the residents of Nivica, who had claims to ownership of the land, Oltion Çaçi has shown himself diligent until the end in obtaining the property.
"Referring to the above-mentioned procedure, we inform: The subject “PARK SOL ENERGY” SH.PK Address: Gafurr Muço Neighborhood, Property No. 13/131, Cadastral Zone No. 8572, Lushnje, Albania, that the submitted offer, for the area of 60 ha of the “Pasture” type, part of the property with no. 8 and no. 15, cadastral zone 2806 owned by the Municipality of Saranda for the development of the activity of energy production from renewable sources, through photovoltaic panels with a term of use (lease) of 10 years, with an offer of 10,560,000 lek/year, has been identified as the successful offer," the announcement of the winner states.
The kidnapping saga
In July 2023, the Municipality of Saranda presented to the Municipal Council a draft decision “On the approval of the management plan for the “Heremec” pasture economy with an area of 1233.21 ha for the period 2023-2033”. This was a diabolical move, which had clear goals.
Not knowing the ultimate goals of this draft decision, the Councilors approved it with the idea that the Municipality sought to manage this asset better, by extending the management period from every 1 year to every 10 years.
But in October 2023, the Municipality presents to the Council a draft decision for "Approval in principle of the lease, by competition, of an area of 175 ha, part of the property with no. 8 and no. 15, cadastral zone 2806, for the development of energy production activity from renewable sources, through photovoltaic panels".
As soon as this draft decision was made public, the residents of Nivica, through their representatives, informed the councilors about their claims, highlighting the Municipality's "game" that had started in July. In fact, the Municipality had made another move to precede this.
On October 10, 10 days before making the draft decision public, it had obtained a certificate of ownership and a property card from the Saranda Municipal Court for property 8, cadastral zone 2806, owned by the Municipality of Saranda. Although it obtained the certificate, the Municipality could not avoid the fact that the property card contained the decision to impose a conservative seizure on this property.
Faced with citizen pressure and the Councilors' silence, the Municipality canceled the passage of the draft decision to the meeting of October 27, 2023. But the pressure from above was greater than the citizen pressure, so the Municipality decided to hold two public hearings in February 2024 and pass the draft decision that same month for approval by the Municipal Council.
Strangely, later the area was reduced from 175 ha to 60 ha. But the attempt of February last year also failed after strong opposition from the residents of Nivica. However, unlike his former colleague from Vlora, Oltion Çaçi from Saranda has been more determined to see the seizure of residents' property to the end on behalf of government clients and has already made it a fact.
Sol Energy Park
The Park Sol Energy company was established in September 2022 and is owned by two businessmen. They are Paqsor Buzi and Agim Xhindoli, who each own 50 percent of the shares.
Paqsor Buzi is a powerful businessman in the construction field, who has benefited from tens of millions of euros from public contracts through his company GPG. Agim Xhindoli also owns several companies in various fields, but his fame grew even more when he was interviewed by Edi Rama on the prime minister's podcast.
The company of two businessmen intends to build a large photovoltaic park on land leased from the Municipality of Saranda.
Editorial
