The Minister of Finance has clarified in an interpellation in Parliament the situation created with the company that exploits the oil concession in Patos-Marinza, Bankers Petroleum.

Minister of Finance, Petrit Malaj, responded on Thursday in Parliament to the interpellation requested by the leader of the Mundësia Party, Agron Shehaj, regarding the execution of financial obligations and the collection of a fine of approximately Euro 120 million against the company Bankers Petroleum.

During his speech, Malaj presented the history of the issue, emphasizing that a distinction must be made between political claims and the legal and institutional process that the Albanian administration has followed.

According to the minister, in June 2004, the hydrocarbon agreement was signed for the exploitation of the Patos-Marinza field by the company that today operates as Bankers Petroleum Albania.

He explained that the agreement provided for several fiscal incentives, including an exemption from excise duty for energy products used in the process of extracting crude oil.

Malaj said that these exemptions were in force until April 1, 2014, when amendments to the fiscal package removed the exemption from excise duty for these products.

“The customs administration in September 2014 notified the company of an unpaid excise duty obligation related to the diluent used during hydrocarbon processes. The initial obligation was Lek 589 million,” the minister said.

He explained that the company challenged this act in court, initiating a legal process that lasted nearly 10 years and concluded in March 2022 with a Supreme Court decision in favor of the customs administration.

The minister announced that in May 2019, the customs administration conducted another inspection, which resulted in an additional obligation of Lek 3.09 billion. According to him, together with the fines, the total obligation reached Lek 12.48 billion. Malaj said that this issue also went through lengthy court proceedings, and in December 2025, the court ruled again in favor of the customs administration.

He added that at the moment when the procedure for collecting the obligation began, it turned out that the company did not have in its accounts the amount of about Euro 120 million that could be immediately blocked by the administration.

According to the minister, an agreement has currently been reached for the installment payment of the obligation of about Lek 3 billion, while the payment process has begun.

“This obligation is being paid in installments. To date, 1.5 million dollars have been collected,” Malaj declared. “So, after the decision of December 9, 2025, where the Albanian courts give the right to the customs administration, the customs administration immediately begins the actions for the execution of the obligation. At the moment the procedures begin, that is, the customs administration begins the procedures for the execution of this obligation, it turns out that Bankers Petroleum did not have enough money or did not have Euro 120 million in bank accounts that could be blocked by the customs administration, and for the liquidation of the obligation raised in the administrative act to be carried out,” Malaj said.

“Treating this issue chronologically is important to understand all the steps that have been followed by the Albanian state in relation to this issue and over the years,” concluded Malaj.