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From photovoltaics to government clients, the debate that is also stirring up the SP...
The government's draft law amending the law "On the Protection of Agricultural Land", which was approved yesterday in the Assembly, has opened a strong political debate, not only with the opposition, but also within the Socialist Party itself.
For the first time, the majority proposes that agricultural land can also be used for agriphotovoltaic activities and wind farms, while the criteria for which land will be used and how it will be allocated will be determined later by a decision of the Council of Ministers.
The changes foresee that the government will establish rules for the use of agricultural land for agriphotovoltaic and wind power plants on land with a soil fertility of up to 8, as well as the monitoring method and the tariffs that energy producing entities will pay.
But this point has raised alarm bells. During the review in the Laws Committee, not only the opposition but also the socialist MP Damian Gjiknuri, former Minister of Energy, came out against the draft law. He opposed the article related to wind farms, arguing that these plants require massive concrete structures and cannot be considered harmless to agricultural land. The debate with the Minister of Justice Ulsi Manja became tense to the point that Gjiknuri left the committee meeting.
Even the opposition has raised doubts that the changes are not based on a request from the European Union, but on concrete business interests. MP Jorida Tabaku warned that, while Albanian agriculture is in crisis and farmers are facing a lack of funds, the government is paving the way for agricultural land to be used for photovoltaic and wind parks, without clear criteria.
These doubts are also fueled by the way the photovoltaic energy business has developed in Albania so far.
In recent years, the construction of photovoltaic parks has become one of the most profitable sectors. Under the argument of the green transition, the government has approved a series of multi-year projects for companies that are in many cases associated with well-known business names close to the government.
In just one recent meeting of the Council of Ministers, three major projects were approved: a 70 MW photovoltaic park in Savër, Lushnja, for the company "3X Energy", a 50 MW park in Saranda for "Park Sol Energy" and another 54 MW park in Poliçan for the company "X One".
Behind "3X Energy" stand Agim Xhindoli and Adrian Dule. The latter has been publicly known as the person who makes available to Prime Minister Edi Rama the studio where he carries out his ceramic works. Meanwhile, Agim Xhindoli is also involved in the company "Park Sol Energy", which took on another photovoltaic project in Saranda.
Equally significant is the case of the company "X One". Created in 2021 with a capital of only 10 thousand euros, the company changed its profile after businessman Ilir Trebicka became a partner in 2024. After that, "X One" began to benefit from a series of favorable decisions: first, it received 137 hectares of state land in the Baqel-Kodhel area of Lezha with "Strategic Investor" status, then another company associated with the same names, "Grand Park Skyline", received permission to build three towers near the Guard of the Republic, while now the photovoltaic project in Poliçan has also been approved.
The list does not end here. In other government decisions, companies such as Gramoz Çejku's "Tekno Fire", Vasil Jovan's "Kronos Konstruksion" and Agron Kovaç's "Solen Energy" have also received licenses or approvals.
Another case that has sparked debate is that of the company "Dion Energji", owned by Amantia Xhafaj and Ditjon Baboçi, daughter and son-in-law of former minister Fatmir Xhafaj, together with Artan Sako, brother of former Guard director Gramos Sako. The company obtained state land in the Topojë-Seman area for the construction of a photovoltaic park and was later licensed by the Energy Regulatory Authority for energy production.
Against this backdrop, the new draft law on agricultural land is another step that could expand the scope for energy projects on areas designated for agriculture. The government argues that it is about the development of agriphotovoltaics and renewable energy, while opponents warn that the changes could create another mechanism for the transfer of agricultural land to other functions, at a time when the agricultural sector is facing one of the most difficult periods in recent years. /Pamphlet
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