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Ina Zhupa criticizes the draft law on tourist ports: The government favors its clients

2026-02-27 11:50:00, Aktualitet CNA

Ina Zhupa criticizes the draft law on tourist ports: The government favors its

Democratic Party MP Ina Zhupa has criticized the draft law on tourist ports, stating that the law aims to donate public ports to government clients, avoiding open competition and public consultation.

Zhupa said that the change in the law violates national security, economic freedom and the principles of equality for economic operators. According to her, favoring strategic investors jeopardizes transparency, creates local monopolies and could negatively affect tourism development and Albania's European integration.

The MP warned that citizens will protest against this draft law, inviting participation in a rally organized tomorrow at 6:00 PM.

"In the parliamentary committee that I lead on Tourism, a draft law amending Law No. 9710, dated 03.04.2007 "On tourist ports in the Republic of Albania" has also been submitted for review.

It came as a proposal to MP Zamira Sina, where in fact, Zamira only has the signature because as it turned out from her interview she had no idea what the law was. It is a government law that will avoid the public consultation process and brings in the name of a deputy a draft law against the public interest, the state interest. A law that presents significant constitutional, economic and national security issues, because it aims to donate ports to clients and oligarchs close to the government with the title of "strategic investor".

The problems with this law are numerous:

First, ports, even when classified as touristic, constitute critical national infrastructure, directly linked to territorial sovereignty, maritime security, border control, economic development and coastal space management. They are part of public property with a special legal regime and, as such, their administration should be guided by the principle of maximum public interest and not by exceptions according to the preferential judgments of the Prime Minister.

Secondly, the principle of free competition and equality before the law requires that any award of the right to construct or operate public assets of strategic value be carried out through open, transparent and measurable competition. Exclusion from the competitive procedure:

limits the state's ability to select the most economically advantageous offer;

reduces transparency and accountability;

increases the risk of conflict of interest and inefficient use of public property;

violates the principle of equal treatment of economic operators.

Third, strategic investors currently benefit from considerable facilitations: expedited procedures, administrative assistance, infrastructure support and, in some cases, long-term use of public property at symbolic fees. Adding an exemption from the competition for assets of particular importance such as ports constitutes a disproportionate favoritism, which violates the principle of proportionality in policymaking. It makes them a state above the state

Fourth, in terms of European law and Albania's commitments to align with the acquis communautaire, EU standards in the field of public procurement, concessions and state aid require transparency, non-discrimination and real competition. Broad exemptions from competition could be considered a deviation from these standards and negatively impact the European integration process.

Fifth, from the perspective of legal certainty, it is not reasonable to amend a permanent sectoral law to adapt to a temporary scheme. This approach undermines the stability of the legal order and creates uncertainty for other investors operating under competitive conditions.

Finally, ports and coastal areas constitute irreplaceable assets for current and future generations. Any decision-making on their administration must be the result of a transparent, competitive and economically justified process. Abandoning competition does not simply simplify the procedure, but reduces the mechanisms for protecting the public interest.

From the perspective of tourism development, such an approach may also be problematic for the tourism industry itself. Awarding tourist ports without open competition risks creating local monopolies, limiting the diversity of the offer and inhibiting innovation in services. When real competition is lacking, the pressure to increase quality, keep prices reasonable and invest in international management standards decreases. Furthermore, the concentration of coastal areas in a few hands can encourage uncontrolled urban development, concreting and limiting public access to the coast, damaging the image of Albania as an open and sustainable destination. Modern tourism requires transparency, competition and a balance between private profit and public interest; otherwise, there is a risk that ports will turn into exclusive enclaves with limited benefits for the local economy and with a long-term negative impact on the country's tourism brand.

"This government treats Albania as private property that it can share with friends of power, without asking about the constitution and rules, so the citizens will protest. Tomorrow at 18:00 against the usurpation of the country by a gang that is plundering it every day and obstructing justice to protect itself," said MP Zhupa./ CNA





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