[ALBSA-Info] Durres freed of Corridor obstacles

[Agron Alibali]

[03] ALBANIA ENDS GREEK INVESTMENTS, GREECE RESPONDS
Thessaloniki, 22 August 2000 (15:17 UTC+2) 
Government spokesperson Dimitris Reppas was curt in
his response to Albania's decision to order three
Greek companies to cease their operations in Durres,
by stating that Greece wishes to have good relations
with Albania and, as such, is maintaining a positive
stance. 

Nevertheless, Mr. Reppas added, Albania, which often
does not display the necessary understanding, should
do the same as well. 

Moreover, Mr. Reppas expressed the hope that
additional obstacles will not be presented, as the
activities of Greek firms in the neighboring country
can bear mutual benefits. 

According to the Athens daily Kathimerini, which
quotes reliable sources, the Albanian government's
move has put an end to a $50-million project of which
the three Greek companies had already invested $10
million in the country's oil sector. 

State-controlled Hellenic Petroleum, Mamidakis
(another fuel firm) and the construction firm DIEKAT
called on the Greek government for help and, two weeks
ago, the Greek ambassador in Tirana hosted a meeting
of the Albanian prime minister, government ministers
involved in the issue and representative of the three
companies. There was no result, the sources said. The
companies' representatives are to meet with Foreign
Minister George Papandreou within the next few days. 

The three companies had signed a contract with the
Albanian government last year to invest in the
country's oil sector. They were granted a 20-year
lease in an industrial park at the port of Durres to
build fuel storage facilities. Hellenic Petroleum had
even bought 75 percent of Albania's Global fuel
company, which controls about 10 percent of the local
market. 

But, claiming that a master plan by the World Bank
prohibits industrial investments in the Durres region
because of a projected East-West highway, the Albanian
government refused to allow operations to continue.
Greece asked the World Bank to get involved, and the
institution undertook to get the Albanian government
to commit itself to moving the facilities and to
paying compensation. 

A.F. 



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