Prime Minister Edi Rama shared on his social media account images from the inspection carried out by Deputy Prime Minister, also Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, at the international airport “Mother Teresa”, in Rinas, where investments are being made in parallel in several directions.

“At the “Mother Teresa” international airport, work is in full swing to expand the terminal, rehabilitate the runway and increase the number of aircraft parking areas,” Rama wrote.

The investment responds to the significant increase in the number of passengers and flights. The data of the first months of this year predict that the year 2024 will see an even greater number of passengers, compared to last year.

Deputy Prime Minister, also Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, together with the director of the Civil Aviation Authority, Maksim Et’hemaj, saw first-hand the progress of the works, where all measures have been put in place to make sure that the works do not affect the operation of the airport.

Director Et’hemaj said that the expansion of the terminal increases the processing capacity of the airport, while 3 Gates will be added to the new part that is being built.

“The investment is intended to support the increase in the number of passengers. 15 thousand square meters here accommodate 13 thousand passengers. At the end of the third phase, the Tirana airport, in the busiest hour, accommodates 30 thousand passengers. We are able to accommodate 30,000 passengers per hour. This is exactly what needs to be done,” said Et’hemaj.

As for the runway, its extension will enable long-haul flights. The entire investment is expected to be completed by the summer of next year. Also, the construction of the access road facilitates air traffic management.

Last year in the first quarter Rinas airport accommodated 92 flights per day, while in 2024 it is expected to accommodate 147 flights, a figure that shows the great increase in the flow of passengers.
/r.e/sm/