FLASH
Shkruar nga PamfletiThe Bitex refinery in Balldren, Elbasan, with a 30-year concession and contract from Albpetrol, has been operating for years without any environmental fines. From 2018 to today, criminal proceedings have been suspended or delayed, while residents report air and water pollution, an increase in respiratory diseases and selective use of filters at night.
Prime Minister Edi Rama today presented the draft law for the creation of the National Waste Treatment Operator. He called the environment “ the most challenging chapter of the negotiations for membership in the European Union ” and spoke of “encouraging improvements” in some tourist areas such as Himara. Rama stressed that Albania must move at a faster pace towards meeting European standards and that reforms can no longer be left to municipalities, but will be led by the central government.
But while the prime minister talks about challenges with Brussels and "improvements" on the Riviera, the reality of the Albanian environment shows a completely different picture. In Elbasan, the BITEX REFINERY company (formerly RBH Belinë) has been operating for more than a decade, causing air, water and soil pollution, while in state registers it appears as an entity without any administrative violations. .
The Bitex refinery is located in the village of Balldren in the Papër administrative unit, on the outskirts of Elbasan. It was established in 2016 with a 30-year concession granted by the Council of Ministers for the processing and trading of crude oil and by-products. In 2024, the company changed its trade name from RBH Belinë to Bitex Refinery, but maintained its activity and legal structure. The registered administrators are members of the Likometa family, while the company appears with an active NIPT, regular licenses and no fiscal penalties.
In the period 2018–2024, Bitex has participated in and won state auctions for the purchase of crude oil from Albpetrol. In June 2024 alone, the company received over 150 thousand tons of oil, while other auctions in 2022 and 2023 have included it in the list of winners. So, on the one hand, the state gives it public contracts and presents it as a fair financial partner, on the other hand, the Elbasan community denounces it as a source of daily poisoning.
Poisoned air and water: residents' testimonies
Residents of the villages of Vidhas and Balldren, with about 1,900 inhabitants, have been reporting chemical smells and heavy smoke at night for years. They accuse the company of deactivating the filters after 10 p.m. to save costs, taking advantage of the lack of state control in the late hours. The air becomes unbearable, especially in the morning, when children go to school.
The Pamphlet editorial office also received a complaint from a former refinery employee: The company used the filters only during pre-announced inspections and the cleaning lines were stopped at night.
Well water has become unusable for consumption . Families reported that the water has a strong smell of oil and use it only for irrigation, while they are forced to buy drinking water. Additional expenses for a community that has been living under the burden of industrial pollution for decades.
Criminal proceedings that were closed without result
In 2018, the Elbasan Prosecutor's Office initiated criminal proceedings for water pollution against RBH Belina, but the case was dismissed. In June 2023, following complaints from residents, another criminal proceeding for air pollution was registered against the company's administrator. This case also remains open, with no concrete measures.
More scandalous is the fact that during the entire period 2018–2024, the State Environmental Inspectorate has not imposed a single fine on the refinery. No punitive measures appear in the annual reports, despite protests, denunciations and criminal charges.
The National Environmental Agency accepts as a database self-monitoring reports submitted by industrial companies themselves. In official documents, Bitex always presents pollution levels below the permitted limit. The authorities do not conduct independent monitoring, do not have 24-hour measurements and do not publish real-time data on the quality of air and water in the area. This dependence on polluter reports creates a clear conflict of interest: the company reports the values that interest it, while the institutions turn a blind eye.
The environmental emergency of 2017 and the state's forgetfulness
In 2017, the Elbasan Municipal Council declared a state of environmental emergency due to malfunctioning filters in the former Metalurgjiku industries. Eight years later, the situation is the same, but this time there is no declaration of emergency and no punitive measures.
Rama's statement today that "the environment is the most challenging chapter with the EU" is only superficially correct. The challenge does not lie with Brussels, but with the lack of political will in Tirana to punish polluters and enforce the law. Companies like Bitex are untouchable because they pay taxes, hold regular licenses and receive public contracts. On paper they are perfect, in reality they poison thousands of people.
The environmental chapter can only be passed by establishing independent 24-hour monitoring in Elbasan, Fier, Porto Romano and Ballsh, punishing any polluter with heavy fines. /Pamphlet
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