FLASH
Shkruar nga Alba KepiToday, the Albanian government decides to create a national water operator, centralizing the network under a state-owned company. This entity will be the only one that can negotiate with Italy and international financial institutions...
It has been two years since the idea for the Albania-Italy water pipeline, a project that promises fresh water for Puglia and investment opportunities for Albania. On May 31, 2023, Tirana approved the strategic project to build a pipeline connecting Gjirokastra with Salento: 85 km under the sea and 120 km on land, up to a depth of 850 meters. Estimated investment: 1 billion euros. Capacity: 150 million cubic meters of water per year to Italy.
For Italy, the project is a strategic solution for agriculture and tourism. For Albania, it means a new role: water supplier for its neighbors. The idea was launched in 2022 by the president of Confindustria Puglia, Sergio Fontana, and in 2023 it was confirmed by the Puglia Region. President Michele Emiliano declared that 'Albania throws good water into the sea and has an interest in selling it. For us, water means increasing agriculture and tourism, and giving a future to the people of Puglia.'
Today, the Albanian government decides to create a national water operator, centralizing the network under a state-owned company. This entity will be the only one that can negotiate with Italy and international financial institutions, guaranteeing full control over the quantity and price of water to be exported.
Centralization has benefits for the project: it reduces fragmentation, facilitates contract negotiation, and can speed up authorizations. But for citizens, it means little or no transparency. When water is transformed from a public asset into a commercial commodity, decisions about quantity and price no longer reflect national interests, but political and economic ones. The community remains a passive user, with no real mechanisms to influence water policies.
Meanwhile, in 2025, Albanians still face empty taps. Network losses reach over 60%, scheduled supplies remain the norm, and families pay daily for plastic deposits and private autobots. For three consecutive terms, the government has failed to provide the most basic service.
The question remains; why is there no project to guarantee 24-hour water for Albanians, while national wealth is centralized and massive exports to Italy are negotiated? /Syri
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