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According to the definition in the draft law, these applicants outside of priority sectors benefit from the status of “strategic investors, assisted procedure,” if the total value of the investment capital is equal to or greater than 50 million euros.
The Parliamentary Committee on Productive Activities and the Environment approved in principle on Monday the legal amendments to the law on strategic investments, which provide for the extension of the implementation deadline of this law until December 2026, the inclusion of sectors other than priority ones, and the transfer from the Council of Ministers to the Strategic Investments Committee of the competence for granting use of seashores, rivers and lakes for beach resorts.
The changes, initiated by Socialist MP Pranvera Resulaj, were also supported by government representatives in the committee and by the Council of Ministers through a document for 'giving an opinion' to the Assembly.
Deputy Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation, Blerta Rama, said that the ministry supports the initiative and that it is fully in line with the government's program to promote and improve the business climate.
Meanwhile, the director of the Albanian Investment Development Agency (AIDA), Laura Plaku, arguing for the expansion of sectors, emphasized the need for the inclusion of each sector in the possibility of benefiting from the facilities offered by this law for investments.
" In the current law, we have 6 priority sectors, but we also have an opportunity to accommodate other sectors, and for applications outside the sectors we have set a criterion of 50 million euros in investment," she said.
According to the definition in the draft law, these applicants outside of priority sectors benefit from the status of “strategic investors, assisted procedure,” if the total value of the investment capital is equal to or greater than 50 million euros.
For opposition MPs, the new amendments are emphasizing the 'abusive' and 'corrupt' character of the law and will be used to grant strategic investor status to those who build towers.
Democratic Party MP, Helidon Bushati, said that this article will be used for proper construction, the only sector that has not been included.
"Why should the state provide assistance to someone who is building a tower in Tirana, which he then sells for 8 times the construction cost?" he asked, adding that he was not entering further into the debate about the origin of the money being invested in the construction.
His Democrat colleague Lefter Geshtenja was equally critical.
"You have opened the doors for anyone to come in, you have removed the conditions," he addressed the government representatives.
" This is one of the most abusive, most corrupt laws, and I'm not saying this, but the European Union has also told you ," he added.
Regarding the extension of the application deadline, AIDA argues in a written response to the commission that there are 18 more projects in the evaluation process.
The effects of this law ended in December 2024, after a much-debated postponement that was made in March of last year at the proposal of MP Eduart Shalsi. Based on this controversial law, the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama has followed the practice of granting public properties with a symbolic value of 1 euro or in exchange for prices much lower than market prices to businessmen who have benefited from the status of strategic investor.
The law, which was passed as a temporary legal measure in 2015, has sparked debate and criticism over its implementation and the circle of beneficiaries. According to economic experts, the law has favored a group of oligarchs and violated private property, fueling social conflicts.
Decisions approved by the Strategic Investment Committee, headed by Prime Minister Edi Rama, have offered 'strategic investors' hundreds of hectares of public land through lease contracts of 1 euro, ancillary infrastructure, such as the supply and adaptation of the electrical network, drinking water supply, and other benefits.
Although the stated goal was to attract foreign investment, so far this law has mainly 'rewarded' Albanian businessmen or people close to the government or the ruling Socialist Party.
The most egregious case is that of granting “strategic investor” status to businessman Artan Gaçi, husband of Socialist MP Olta Xhaçka, and the government’s approval of granting use of the seashore to his company. This case has raised concerns about a conflict of interest and favoritism towards those in power./ BIRN
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