Albania (Not Dial-up Friendly – Large Number of Pictures)

nice pics bro have you got some more of durres??

From what I have seen of Albania it is a beautiful country, with some spectacular mountain scenery and some interesting ancient Greek style ruins. It is a pity that the country is so politically unstable because otherwise I believe it would be very popular with tourists and this could really improve the economy of the country and the quality of life for the people.

I don’t think Albania would be considered politically unstable anymore. IN the 2005 elections the opposition won by a very big difference. this could not have been done if elections and political insitutions etc.. were not free and fair. of course there’s corruption there but at a much lower level then before. still alot of work needs to be done.

albania is rated amongst the top 10 in the world for long term (10 year) tourist growth. it’s up there with croatia and montengro. montenegro is numbe one on that list.

Road Network:

In this meeting of the National Council of the Roads we will discuss two important documents:
The strategy and the objectives for investments in the national road network for the period 2003-2005.
The resolution of the optimal version of a very important project of the country for the road infrastructure, that I hope will change or affect the road map of the Balkans, with the construction of the road Durres-Kukes-Morine.
The importance of this road that connects the corridors East-West and North-South is well known and is one of the concerns, the social wide preoccupations or the aspirations for economical integrating development in the whole country. For this reason I am sure that the resolution that we will take today, will find space in the social life of our country.

The rhythms of the feasibility study developed today, with the World Bank financing and the proper project make us believe that within this year may start the work for the construction of the road Milot-Rreshen, a process that deserves the support of all us. So the government is considering the possibility of including some structures, to start and accelerate the job of this part of the road. I would like us to converge in the meeting the support and the rational consideration of the developed projects that bring important impacts in the integration of the country in the region, as a proof of the consolidation of the Council itself for the duties of this institution.
This project comes in discussion after some oppositions and suggestions from local and foreign specialists. It brings in our tables one of the main priorities of the Government. The road Durres-Kukes-Morine and the construction of the airport of Kukes are priority commitment of the Government that aim through this infrastructure to create better possibilities for the integration of the national market, for the strengthening of the cooperation relations with the neighbor countries and of course with other Albanian and non-Albanian factors in a Balkans market that is being integrated, in order to grow the flow of the exchange of goods, and of people, the transit and the transactions that accompany them. So, we also aim to contribute in the Balkans integration.

We are sure that the development of this project will bring a raise to the economic and social level of people living in the north-eastern region of the country that will also become a part of the country’s infrastructure, and will also develop the tourism and the economical circulation and the resources in the area. As the shortest road that connects the Adriatic Sea with the Central Europe, this road will bring changes also in the nature and volume of the transport of goods, supporting us in the widening and modernization of the Port of Durres, as the main port in the 8th corridor.

The versions that will be presented here have attached the technical, economical and financial analysis, and rely on indexes that evaluate the priorities of each version and give us the possibility to choose the best alternative.
In the mean time, I would like your attention to present the strategy and objective for national investments in road network of the country for the period 2003-2005.
This document is integrated in the Strategy of the National Development of the Albanian Government, which has initiated and developed short and long-term policies and priorities to support it, with main objective the improvement of the development of the national road network infrastructure. The investments in this infrastructure rely in the developmental strategy and policy of the Government, coordinated with the job of experts and local and foreign specialists of international organisms that operate in the country, especially the World Bank, The Investment European Bank, the European Bank for investments and development, and agencies and banks of the European community.
The road infrastructure in Albania represents big opportunities and facilities for the country’s integration and the accommodation of the transit traffics. As far as the inter-regional cooperation is concerned, the 8th corridor represent for a great opportunity.

The Strategy of Development of the Albanian road network took into consideration mid and long term interventions that will make possible the modernization of this infrastructure in our country, normal traveling and contemporary services in it. The Albanian society is going through an important period of transformations toward the consolidation of the open economy. This social development positively pressures the market with the demand for bigger volume and variety of transportations, and this natural growth demands an adequate road infrastructure, with more investments, new and better roads.

In this evaluation, the main objective of the investment plan of the Government is the continuation of the rehabilitation of the national road network, the construction of new roads and the growth of the standards in the most important points of the infrastructure. The financing strategy and its implementation involve the completion of two roads East-West and North-South in the period 2003-2005.

In the East-West road, the national part of the 8th corridor, allow me ti bring into attention the construction of:
• The Elbasan-Librazhd segment with a length of 30.5 km, the investment value of which is 22.5 million USD. The road started in April 2003, to be finished in April 2005. Financed by BERZH, Italian cooperation and the Albanian Government.
• The Qafë Thanë – Pogradec – Korçë, total length 65 km, and investment value 76 million euro, whose construction starts during the 3 months period of the year 2005 and end in the year 2007. for this road’s financing we are negotiating with different donators, like BERZH.
The end of these roads will complete the road East-West together with the road to Kapshtica.

In the road North-South there are some segments that make the entire road:

• The segment Lezhë-Shkodër, with a total length of 33.9 km, and an investment value of 4 billiard leks. Up to now have finished the construction of the road Lezhe-Balldre, Vau i Dejes-Shkoder, with a total length of 14.5 km and an investment value of 1.35 billiard leks. In July 2004 we are committed to finish the construction of the rest of the segment Balldre-Piraj-Vau I Dejes with a length of 19.4 km and an investment value of 19.4 billiard leks, financed from the state budget.
• The segment Lushnjë-Fier, with a total length of 21 km and an investment value of 20.5 million euro, the construction of which should start within the first half of the year 2004, to end in 2006. This road is financed by the Italian cooperation and the state budget.

• The road segment Fier-Vlore, with a length of 34 km and an investment value of 38 million euro. The implementation project has started in September 2003 and will finish in September 2004. the construction of this road will start in 2005 and will finish in 2007, financed by the BEI.
• The construction of the segment Fier-Tepelenë, of a length of 82 km and a value of 65 million euro, starts in 2005 and ends in 2007, financed by Berzh and the state budget.

• The segment Tepelenë-Gjirokastër, with a total length of 23 km and investment value 20.5 million euro, starts the construction in June 2004 and ends in December 2005, financed by the European community, BEI and the Government of Albania.

• The segment Jergucat-Sarandë-Konispol, with a total length of 63.5 km and an investment value of 16.2 million euro starts the construction in 2005 and ends in 2007, for whose financing we are negotiating with different donators.
• The segment Shkodër-Hani i Hotit. It has been signed the agreement between the Albanian government and the Italian Cooperation for the financing of the feasibility and the project of this road with a length of 35 km. in this section it is included the construction of the ring road of Shkodra.
So, the construction of the road North-South will be completed by the end of 2007.
In the road Durrës-Kukës-Morinë, the optimal version of which we would like to approve today, as a part of our national strategy, it is worthy to point out the fact that it is a connection for the whole traffic of Albania, Kosovo and the entire region.
In the strategy 2003-2005, in the government evaluation, it is evaluated of a special importance the ending of the tourist and boarder road of;

• The road Vlorë-Sarandë separated in three segments:

1) The segment Vlorë-Orikum with a length of 18 km and an estimated investment value of 500 million leks. The project of this road has been done this year.
2) The segment Orikum-Ura e Palasës, with a length of 32 km, and an estimated value of 787 million leks. In the year 2001 started the construction of this road. 16 km are finished and rest of it is being constructed with state budget financing.
3) The segment Ura e Palasës-Sarandë, with a length of 74 km and 6 billiard leks investment value passes through the coastal tourist area of Palsa to Saranda.
With the financing of the budget of the state will also be done the following roads:

• Shkodër-Muriqan, 300 million leks
• Rruga e Divjakës, 130 million leks
• Rruga e Velipojës, 600 million leks
• Rruga e Semanit, 320 million leks

The construction of this roads will finish within the year 2004.
The Government of Albania has just approved the first segment of the road, with a length of 55 km and approximated investment value of 150 million euro. We believe that this important process will supply us the first European standard highway in Albania.
In the Development strategy of the Road Infrastructure, the Government will encourage, choose and present for concession other segments of the road.

At the end, allow me to appraise the modern infrastructure that we need, that we are constructing and negotiating on, for its acceleration in the market and territory that connects the region, can not be understood differently but with this rhythms and concepts and contemporary instruments.

Road Network in 2007/2008

red=4 lane eachway
green=2 lane eachway
yellow=1 lane eachway

Durres Construction and Projects

The new Master plan for the city:

More details will be available

The runner up to the contest:

If this was the plan that lost to the winner then I can only imagine how wonderful the winner must be.

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Durres

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Vlora