On Wednesday, Matej Zakonjšek participated in the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee for Productive Activities, Trade, and Environment, during which the annual report of the Transport Community Secretariat was presented in the presence of members of the Green Group.

Matej Zakonjšek, Director of the Transport Community Secretariat, praised the investments in road infrastructure in Albania, noting that they have elevated standards by providing enhanced safety and improved traffic flow.
“In this context,” he continued, “the mode of transport and its management in Albania and the Western Balkan countries must align with that of other EU member states, as they will comply with the same legislation, which means adhering to the same standards. This is fundamental to the work we are doing as the Transport Community Secretariat.”

Zakonjšek emphasized that integration will proceed along two parallel tracks: legislative alignment and the implementation of projects.

“Standards and projects must go hand in hand. In the absence of the requisite legislation, such projects cannot achieve sustainability,” he remarked, underscoring the advancement of projects focused on the development of waterborne transport.
Zakonjšek expressed that, “Albania is making progress in aligning its transport legislation with the European Union. The focus remains on the 63% of legislative volume that has yet to be aligned with the EU, while the country has advanced in implementing projects according to the plan outlined by the Transport Community.”

He highlighted the positive results achieved by the country.
“Albania has now established the Railway Safety Authority, which will commence operations very soon; the Road Monitoring Center is also up and running, while the Waterborne Transport Strategy is in the pipeline. Albania has been taken off the blacklist for port inspections and has been upgraded to the grey list. Additionally, the agreement with North Macedonia regarding waterborne transport is progressing,” stated Zakonjšek.
According to him, a priority for the future remains the approval of new development plans with a focus on all areas of transport.
Regarding road transport, it was highlighted that Albania is implementing between 7 and 10 projects aimed at upgrading 177 kilometers of roads. Meanwhile, the Kakavija Border Crossing Point is considered one of the 11 busiest in the region, and infrastructure modernization work will get underway to reduce waiting time for citizens and businesses,” emphasized Zakonjšek.

He provided updates regarding rail transport, stating, “In Albania, we have several projects underway. The Tirana-Durrës project is approaching its final stages and will result in the complete modernization of the railway line. Additionally, we will establish a connection to Rinas Airport, making Tirana the first city in the region with an airport linked to the railway network. Once the regional railway network is developed, we will focus on connections between cities. The Tirana-Durrës route is expected to be a success story in terms of public use. Other projects mentioned include the eighth corridor, which connects Tirana with Podgorica.”

“Albania has seen a boom in airports; however, it must be noted that Tirana is a leader in the region in terms of passenger growth. This is closely linked to the country’s natural beauty and coastline, which has increased pressure on the nation’s infrastructure. We see that Tirana Airport is being expanded and modernized, but it is essential that it is connected to the railway network. Tirana Airport stands out as one of the most significant projects currently underway,” stated Matej Zakonjšek, Director of the Transport Community Secretariat.

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