Italy, Albania To Sign Energy, Infrastructure Deals Worth 2.64 Bln Euro on Dec 2

Two of the deals concern the construction of a liquefied natural gas regasification plant near the town of Fier, worth 1.0 billion euro; and the construction of a wind farm near the town of Vlore and a power line linking Vlore with Italy, worth 1.15 billion euro, the Italian government said in a statement posted on its website.

The third deal is for the construction of a cement plant in northern Albania worth 160 million euro. A deal for the construction of a 33 million euro road section will also be signed, the statement said.

The signing of the deals will be held in Tirana as part of the official visit to Albania of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Representatives of Italy’s Falcione Consulting Group, Moncada Energy Costruzioni, cement producer Colacem and infrastructure project developer Todini Costruzioni Generali are on the roster for Berlusconi's visit to Albania, the statement said.

Last week Albanian media reported that the licence awarded in 2007 to Swiss-based international consortium ASG Power for the construction of the regasification plant near Fier has been revoked over its failure to raise the necessary funding for the project.

($=0.792 euro)