Albania toward a new gas project

TIRANA, Aug. 8 – Vice Minister of trade, Economy and Industry Gjergj Bojaxhi said that Albania may be in the prospects of turning into a transit point for many gas projects to take it toward western Europe due to is short route and low cost. Nevertheless the vice minister said that all projects are still at the ideas and there has started no real one. There is a group of gas projects that may bring it from Greece, always Albania profiting and not only serving as a transit country. The pipeline may be built along the shore and be used for the country and also to transport it to Italy. Another project idea is from Turkey, the so-called Trans Adriatic Pipeline promoted from EGL company. That would pass through the land. That is the shortest route from Salonika to Italy through Albania. That would have a low cost in building. The other project idea is that of the Greek company Prometeus, a merger of Gazprom and Kopeluzos to build a pipeline and thermocentrals in Albania. The Albanian government would support any company that would bring gas to use and transit through Albania, said Bojaxhi. The Prometeus project was more advanced than the EGL one. Prometeus was interested in that since 1994 and it aims to bring gas for Albania through Salonika, according to him. Albania may use the gas not only for heating from individual consumers, but also for its plants and factories and energy producing stations.