Privatization bond valid until 2013

TIRANA, Dec. 12 – With the legalization and privatization processes underway, government has extended the use of the privatization bonds for another two years. A decision taken by majority MPs of the parliamentary economy committee this week foresees extending the deadline for privatization bonds for another two years until Dec. 31, 2013.
The extension of the deadline will create facilitations for ex-land owners in the privation process enabling them to the pre-purchase right and assist the legalization process for informal buildings through state run agency ALUIZNI.
Opposition Socialist Party MPs did not uphold the changes, describing the use of privatization bonds as an unclear and failed process.
Privatization bonds or vouchers were first introduced in the early 90 just as the communist system was collapsing as shares to employees in state-owned enterprises.
The Economy Ministry says land owners will be given priority in the privatization process. “The beneficiary land owners can pay 20 percent for the object built on their land in cash and the remaining 80 percent in privatization bonds,” Minister Nasip Naco said earlier this year. Participation in remaining state-owned enterprises is another opportunity to make use of the privatization bonds.
The government has identified 1,280 public assets including strategic enterprises it intends to privatize. The privatization list includes remaining state owned shares in strategic oil, and phone companies, small hydropower plants, military facilities and small and medium-sized enterprises, except for big hydropower plants and dams, schools, hospitals and public buildings and offices which will remain under state ownership.