November 30 (SeeNews) - An international civil aviation airport in Albania's coastal city of Vlora is expected to start operations in March 2025, before the construction works are completed in December 2025, infrastructure minister Belinda Balluku said.
The Albanian government expects the airport to serve 1 million tourists between March and December 2025, more than triple the 300,000 passengers projected in the construction contract, Balluku said earlier this week, as seen in a video on social media.
The airport terminal will have an area of 20,000 cubic metres and will be equipped with a 5.2 MW photovoltaic rooftop system.
A consortium led by Swiss-based Mabco Constructions, a subsidiary of Mabetex Group, which also comprises Turkish company YDA Group and Kosovo-based 2A Group, started building the airport in 2021 under a 103.9 million euro ($113.5 million) contract for its construction, operation and maintenance.
The Lugano-headquartered Mabetex Group is controlled by Kosovo Albanian businessman and politician Behgjet Pacolli.
($=0.915 euro)