The Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Enea Karakaçi, announced on Tuesday that the government has approved a new draft law for regulating the electricity sector, which aims to modernize the energy market and fully align it with the European Union's legal framework.

In a statement to the media after the government meeting, Karakaçi said that “energy reforms happen once every 10 or 15 years. The previous law of 2015 transformed the energy sector in Albania, but also responded to all the challenges of the time”.

Minister Karakaçi emphasized that “the time had come to make a new draft law that regulates and implements the entire legal framework of the European Union, but not only”.

According to him, this new draft law, approved today by the government and expected to be approved in parliament soon, has several very important elements.

“First, in terms of regulating the electricity sector, it introduces Albania to a completely new concept, introducing and providing for other definitions and elements that were not in the previous law, such as storage or new forms of aggregation for self-consumers that are of great interest to all citizens and businesses, but also the entire regulation of the energy sector by introducing it to a new phase, where Albania is. Today we no longer only have hydropower sources, and we are in a phase of a lack of security of the electricity supply. Today, we are in a completely different phase where photovoltaic energy has exceeded 10% of domestic electricity production,” underlined Karakaçi.

According to him, renewable energy has received a new boost either through auctions or through construction and development in the free market.

The second element, continued Karakaçi, which is also very important for this draft law on the electricity sector, is the component of European integration.

"The draft law on the electricity sector was an obligation of Albania within the framework of European integration, but not only that, but it was also an obligation within the framework of the Growth Plan, where, with its approval, Albania will also receive financial assistance from the European Union,” Karakaçi noted.

Furthermore, Karakaçi stated that the first invoices for penalties have been issued for the delays observed in the construction of the Vlora airport, while guaranteeing that the project will be completed and the airport will be functional.

Furthermore, the minister also spoke about the Tirana-Durres axis. He said that the works for the expansion of the segment are continuing at a satisfactory pace, while emphasizing that after the summer season, the demolition of the Rinas overpass will begin.

Responding to the interest of journalists, Karakaçi explained that an overpass is being built in front of a shopping center, which will create the possibility of residents crossing.