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Balkans.com Business News / Albania

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BBN - 07.01.2013.
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Albanian C.Bank keeps basic interest rate unchanged

mer, 09/12/2015 - 21:17
Bank of Albania (BoA) Governor Ardian Fullani on Wednesday said the bank will keep its basic interest rate for Albanian Lek (ALL) unchanged at 3.75 percent, and reconfirmed the bank's previous economic projection for the country.Fullani said in a regular monthly press conference that the BoA decided to keep its projection for Albanian economic growth at the same level as in 2012. He added that annual inflation is expected to stand at 2.1 percent.The governor stressed that BoA once again pointed to importance of maintenance of fiscal equilibrium and control on deficit and public debt.bne/Xinhua
Catégories: Balkan News

Opposition wins Albanian parliamentary elections

mer, 09/12/2015 - 21:17
The election was always expected to be closely fought, and the results contested, as political patronage is huge in Albania - with the winners historically undertaking a wholesale clearance of civil servants/bureaucrats. Both parties are pro-EU, but a question will be how long instability lasts around any challenges to the election result and how much institutional memory can be retained with the change of government. I guess if these exit polls are confirmed, then the plus factor is that the scale of victory for the Socialists is sufficiently large so as to limit the Berisha administration's ability really to hold out against conceding defeat. For the aged Berisha this might mark his final bow from politics, as it is unclear whether he would want a long stint now in the opposition.bne/Standard Bank
Catégories: Balkan News

Albania drops electronic voting from June 23 parliamentary elections

mer, 09/12/2015 - 21:17
The Central Electoral Commission, CEC, has abandoned the planned use of new pilot technologies in the June 23 parliamentary elections, after tests revealed problems.The Electoral Code mandated the CEC to pilot two new election technologies for these elections: an electronic voter verification system, EVS, in the district of Tirana, and an electronic counting system in the region of Fier.But according to a CEC report 11 per cent of the identity cards tested could not be read from the machine.Tests with the EVS system in Tirana revealed that the system could not read deteriorated IDs or prevent attempts of multiple voting at different voting centres.The ballot scanning system in the region of Fier will not be used either, after tests conducted in April revealed a number of problems with the system, including slow processing speed and insufficient capacity.The capacity of the selected ballot counting system is limited to 42 names while the final ballot lists 67 political parties.The e-voting system in both Fier and Tirana were contracted by the Spanish company Indra at a cost of €2.6 million.Albania has a long history of elections that do not meet international standards and end in political disputes. The June 23 vote is seen as a key test for the countrys already battered aspirations for EU membership.The June 23 parliamentary polls will face two major coalitions, one headed by the ruling centre-right Democratic Party of Prime Minister Bershia and the other by the Socialists of former Tirana mayor Edi Rama.Berisha is seeking a third mandate in power. He previously served as Albania's President from 1992-1997 and from 1991 has been the uncontested leader of the Democrats.Rama served as Tirana mayor from 2000 until 2011 and was elected chairman of the Socialist Party in 2005.By Besar Likmeta, BIRN, Tiranabne/BIRN
Catégories: Balkan News

Statkraft will commence construction of the Devoll hydropower project in Albania

mer, 09/12/2015 - 21:17
Statkraft has announced it will commence construction of the Devoll hydropower project in Albania. The company will begin with the Banjë and Moglicë hydropower plants with a combined capacity of 243 MW and an annual production of about 700 GWh.In total, the Devoll project will consist of three hydropower plants in the valley of Devoll, with an installed capacity of 278 MW. On average the power plants will produce about 800 GWh annually, increasing the Albanian electricity production by almost 20 percent. The investment decision for the third plant will be considered when the first two plants are completed.Earlier this year, Statkraft acquired EVN’s 50 percent share of Devoll Hydropower Sh.A. and is now 100 percent owner of the company and the construction project. The change in ownership is approved by Albanian authorities. The concession agreement gives Devoll Hydropower the right to build, own and operate the power plants until they are transferred back to Albanian authorities at the end of the concession period.The investment frame for the first two plants is estimated to EUR 535 million. The tendering process for the main contracts is in its final stage and main construction works are planned to start in October. The plants are expected to be completed in 2016 and 2018, respectively.“The Devoll project is an important part of Statkraft’s investments in international hydropower, based on our hydropower expertise. This construction project secures both renewable energy and development in Albania, and underpins our position as Europe’s largest producer of renewable energy,” said Øistein Andresen, Statkraft Executive Vice President International Hydropower.   Source: Statkraft
Catégories: Balkan News

Albania's Council of Ministers approved in principle the decision to increase salaries and pensions

mer, 09/12/2015 - 21:17
Albania's Council of Ministers approved in principle the decision to increase salaries and pensions, and other decisionsThe meeting of the Council of Ministers examined and approved in principle the decision to increase salaries and pensions, in accordance with the legal definition of the state budget, a decision which will enter into force after the elections.The Albanian Prime Minister stressed that the increase  of salaries and pensions and remains a constant policy   of the government and that it will continue so in the future.Premier Berisha also suggested, the decision to adopt a much financial compensation for 1040 and persecuted, to the extent measure around 45 million dollars, as well as other decisions on expropriation, granting the concession, etc.. Government
Catégories: Balkan News