Kosovar businessman Behgjet Pacolli has declared for the first time that the Vlora Airport is being taken over by the state. Through a post on social networks where he followed up on a telephone conversation with an Albanian journalist, Pacolli says that he will not fight the state.
Pacolli's full post
An authoritative journalist from Albania called me today, here in Astana, and asked me: "Mr. Pacolli, what are you going to do now that the airport was taken over by the State Police?"
My answer was clear:
The facilities that the Ministry of Interior, on August 24, had separated from the overall project and had designated for completion by MABCO, are in fact completed. Since March of this year, pending the fulfillment of obligations by VIA, we have cleaned the facilities, carried out the final works and arranged the surrounding greenery.
The airport was built exclusively with my financial means. There are over 310 million euros invested and committed in the form of guarantees. Valon Ademi alone, as the contractor, has received over 35 million euros from the MABCO guarantee.
The airport — let them take it! I don't want to fight the state. The state has its own power and can use it as it wants. But the way this power is being used is illegal and unacceptable for a country that claims to be a state of law. What happened and how it happened, time will tell. No worries.
The second question was:
“What will happen to the people who are now unemployed and will the subcontractors be paid?”
I replied that they have been paid and any remaining obligations will be paid to the last cent. As for our workers and experts, we will try to engage them in other projects abroad. They are valuable to us and will not be neglected.
But for these people, in addition to the financial side, there is a much bigger problem: the human and moral one. These people have been affected in their dignity by the police intervention. Their work tools, equipment, personal belongings, safes, personal materials, work materials in warehouses and much more have been left behind on the construction site.
The worst thing is that the human dignity of the working people has been violated — of those who have given their effort, sweat, professionalism, and a part of their lives to this project. This is precisely where the greatest injustice lies.
MABCO's material issues will, sooner or later, be regulated by law. But the damage done to human dignity, trust in the state, and Albania's image before investors is not easily repaired.
I, to the extent possible, will continue to defend the interest of the nation, the interest of workers, and the principle that the state should be a guarantor of the law — not an instrument of pressure on those who work, build, and invest.
Editorial
