Prime Minister Edi Rama was this Friday in Vlora with the Minister of Infrastructure Belinda Balluku at the construction site of Vlora International Airport. 

According to Rama, this is "the work that will further transform the tourism industry and significantly increase the economy and employment". 

Minister Balluku stressed that "our goal is to complete the runway bed within this year". 

"The contract for delivery is April 2024, we believe that the concessionaire with the pace that is working today, we are confident that it will meet the deadline. This will be the longest runway in Albania, the only airport that accommodates transoceanic flights," said the minister. 

According to Balluku, the construction "is outside the protected area and will not have any negative environmental impact". 

"Here we had a very long process with hearings, we performed the activities that were needed for the environmental permit. This is a lagoon area, where there are several species of birds but we have taken measures and done the process as required by the EU. This is a military area, natural runway, it is not a protected area. We did not have any part of the protected area, I want to clarify that there were insinuations outside the protected area and there will be no negative environmental impact."