FLASH NEWS
Should Tropoja's connection with Albania be left in private hands?
2026-01-18 22:20:12 / EKONOMI&SOCIALE
Albania is facing mass abandonment, especially in small suburban towns, some of which are even at risk of disappearing altogether. The government does not see this as a problem at all and has been short-changing it by justifying that this is a regional, unstoppable trend. But is this really the only thing, or is it bad governance that is driving people away?
Take Tropoja. The journey to Bajram Curri and Valbona is becoming increasingly difficult. Today, the only real route remains the National Road through Kosovo, crossing two borders and two customs – a long and tiring journey.
During the summer there is another alternative: the journey across Lake Koman, one of the most beautiful and touristic routes in the Balkans. But this option is only offered in the summer season. The question is simple why? And the answer is just as dry. Because the ferries are private.
In fact, this is a paradox in itself. The ferry company says there are no passengers in the winter. The citizens say there are no ferries. But this is not simply a mismatch between demand and supply. The problem is deeper than that.
No one treats these ferries the way ships and waterways are treated anywhere in the world. With fixed schedules, with legal obligations to move, with regulated fuel prices and penalties in case of non-compliance with the schedule. As a result, today everything functions according to the wishes of a private company, not according to the needs of citizens and tourism.
The Albanian government subsidizes fishing boats with tax-free fuel, so that Albanian companies can do business. But it has not occurred to it to remove taxes on a ferry, whose service is vital to Tropoja. First of all, for the citizens, who live there in isolation. Second, for tourism, which the government loves so much that it counts the people entering the country's border points every day.
If Albania wants real development of the North, Valbona and the entire Tropoja area, Koman ferries must be subject to the same rules as any other maritime line in the world.
Only in this way will stable schedules be guaranteed, tourism would increase throughout the year, the movement of residents would be facilitated, and the entire area would emerge from seasonal isolation. And this is not a private problem, but a public and national interest. The solution is completely free of cost.
It is enough for the government to sometimes think about the daily problems of the people, not just about tenders./ Kapitali.al
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