TIRANA, Jan. 27- The government has prepared a new draft law that aims at regulating the Albanian telecommunications industry. Sokol Olldashi, Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, recently reviewed some of the features of the draft. According to Olldashi, the granting of a license to become one of the market’s major providers will be guaranteed for a minimum of two years. Also, the penalties for violating rules to maintain competition will be increased from the fixed one million lek to a percentage of a company’s annual revenues. The ministry will also assume the role of the work of the regulatory entity to monitor competitiveness. The draft law has been adapted to the requirements and recommendations of the EU. One of the main aims of this law, according to the minister, is the fixing of the deformed expensive market of mobile phones in Albania, one of the most expensive in Europe.
Accusations The head of telecommunications has accused the regulatory entity of not completing its job of regulation of the market. Olldashi said that the law is just an instrument for the implementing authorities which should begin doing their job. Olldashi said that the regulatory Entity had never calculated the cost of the mobile phone service, something that should have been completed four years ago. Olldashi accused the Entity of not having the necessary will to carry out their duty and said that the law will deprive them of any excuse not to start doing this now.
More mobile operators
Olldashi added that the third mobile operator will begin operating in Albania in March. The government’s contract with Albtelekom obliges the Turkish consortium of Calik and Turk Telekom to open the market to a third operator during the first quarter of 2008. The government will consider bringing in a fourth telecommunications operator after Eagle is operating.
