According to Podgorica based daily Vijesti, UAE engineers and Abu Dhabi\’s ruling Al Nahyan family representatives will be visiting the coastal city of Bar this week to check on the country’s main sea port which is currently operating with an annual financial loss and significantly below its potential capacities.

The country’s authorities have been desperate to expand its international connections, recently announcing plans for a new Bar-Belgrade highway which will open access to Serbia and other central European markets.

Although Montenegro’s government has not officially confirmed plans for the privatization of the port, drafting of necessary legal acts are under way reportedly while the country’s President Milo Djukanovic was recently in the UAE to lure interest in the port.  

The United Arab Emirates have in recent years been strengthening their presence in the Balkans, notably in Serbia where investments run into billions of dollars.

Mohammed bin Zayed, the de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates, has identified Serbia as the main destination in the western Balkans for his country’s efforts to diversify its economy before oil runs out, and plans to extend into Montenegro confirm bin Zayed’s plans to grow its investment portfolio in the Balkans.

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Taking over from Sheraton which decided to sell off the hotel last year to the Kastrati Group, the 151-room Hyatt Regency Tirana is expected to open in late 2019 and will mark a milestone in Albania’s thriving hospitality and tourism sector. 

“Albania is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and we are thrilled to announce plans for a hotel in Tirana, a city that has undergone real transformation in recent years,” said Takuya Aoyama, vice-president development, Hyatt.

He also added that that the brand expects that “with a prime location in the country’s capital, the hotel will appeal to both business travelers and those looking to experience the cultural sights of the city.”

Located close to national landmarks such as the Presidential Palace, Palace of Congress, National Park, and the soon-to-open National Arena, Hyatt Regency Tirana will connect guests to who and what matters most while visiting the country’s capital.

Guests will benefit from being a 10-minute walk from Blloku, an upmarket area widely known amongst locals as an entertainment destination with boutiques, shops, restaurants, and bars. Additionally, Rinas Mother Theresa International Airport will be approximately 15 kilometers away from the hotel.

“We are delighted to be working with Hyatt on this hotel. The Hyatt Regency brand is a globally recognized and will attract visitors to this remarkable city,” said Leonard Kastrati, owner of Kastrati Hotels & Tower shpk.

“We look forward to a successful cooperation with Hyatt and the brand’s first hotel in Albania. We were also happy to collaborate with Colliers International London and Tirana offices who brokered this tremendous deal. We thank Ben Godon, Stela Dhami and the team for all their efforts and we believe it will greatly enhance Tirana’s and Albania’s future ambitions in the tourism industry.”

Hyatt Regency Tirana will become the fifth Hyatt Regency hotel in Southeast Europe, joining Hyatt Regency Thessaloniki and Hyatt Regency Belgrade, along with the previously announced Hyatt Regency Sofia and Hyatt Regency Zadar.

About Hyatt Regency

The Hyatt Regency brand prides itself on connecting travelers to who and what matters most to them. More than 185 conveniently located Hyatt Regency urban and resort locations in over 30 countries around the world serve as the go-to gathering space for every occasion – from efficient business meetings to memorable family vacations. The brand offers a one-stop experience that puts everything guests need right at their fingertips. Hyatt Regency hotels and resorts offer a full range of services and amenities, including the space to work, engage or relax; notable culinary experiences; technology-enabled ways to collaborate; and expert meeting and event planners who can take care of every detail. For more information, please visit hyattregency.com. Follow @HyattRegency on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and tag photos with #AtHyattRegency.

About Kastrati Hotels & Tower shpk

Kastrati is an Albanian privately-owned group of companies established in 1991 that serves in over 12 industries operating in Albania and the Balkan region and employs over 3,000 people. Mainly recognized as the leading Albanian retail and wholesale trader of hydrocarbon products, Kastrati successfully operates in other industries such as insurance, construction and real estate, hospitality, automotive industry, retail, advertising, and many more. Kastrati Group has established its reputation as a reliable business partner by committing to deliver premium-quality products and services, bringing innovation, creating value for all stakeholders and giving back to the communities it operates in.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 14 premier brands. As of September 30, 2018, the Company\’s portfolio included more than 750 properties in more than 55 countries across six continents. The Company\’s purpose to care for people so they can be their best informs its business decisions and growth strategy and is intended to attract and retain top colleagues, build relationships with guests and create value for shareholders. The Company\’s subsidiaries develop, own, operate, manage, franchise, license or provide services to hotels, resorts, branded residences, vacation ownership properties, and fitness and spa locations, including under the Park Hyatt®, Miraval®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt®, Andaz®, Hyatt Centric®, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Ziva, Hyatt Zilara, Hyatt Residence Club® and Exhale® brand names. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

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Croatians hope the ‘Peljesac Bridge’ which will stretch 2.4 km from the southern peninsula of Pelješac to the mainland, will solve one of their biggest touristic frustrations, where travelers have to go through 4 border checkpoints to join popular Dubrovnik from the northern part of its mainland.

Since the disintegration of Yugoslavia, Croatia’s maritime line was cut in half by 20km of sea shore which belongs to Bosnia & Herzegovina, a legacy since ottoman times which secured the strip under Turkish control. The creation of the new post-Yugoslav republics imposed borders between the new Balkan neighbors. 

As a result, travelers who drive through Croatia’s coastline are often puzzled and frustrated at the long lines on 4 border checkpoints, which are often dubbed by tourists as total nuisance. 

The bridge which has been a Croatian project for a long time, will be built by Chinese consortium China Road and Bridge Corporation which earlier in April signed a contract with Croatian road operator Hrvatske Ceste for the construction of Pelješac Bridge and access roads, for a total of €400 million Euros or 2,8 billion Croatian Kuna.

The European Union has granted €357 million of its cohesion funds to build the Pelješac Bridge which will connect the Croatian peninsula of Pelješac, and through it the southernmost part of Croatia including Dubrovnik, with the Croatian mainland.

Croatia’s prime minister  Andrej Plenkovic said this project is of strategic and long-term importance to the whole country and will make Croatia unique.

“We are all aware how important it is for us to build this bridge and include the south of Croatia into the motorway infrastructure network. This is important for all our fellow citizens in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County,” the prime minister said during the signing of the contract.

The Chinese have promised to complete the Pelješac Bridge by 2021, while some in Bosnia have expressed concerns the bridge will block the country’s open sea access to large ships and cruise vessels.

Croatia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. Last year the Balkan country was visited by 17,400,000 tourists who had 86,200,000 overnight stays. During the same year Croatia\’s tourism revenues amounted €9.5 billion.

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The move from the Armenian government comes 5 years later than its Albanian counterpart, which in 2013 removed its visas for short term visitors from Armenia.

Armenia’s Government says the adoption of this decision served the principle of reciprocity in the Armenian-Albanian bilateral relations.”

“This will not only promote and encourage tourism, but will also help to better know each other, to outline and develop a number of new areas of bilateral cooperation.” – said a representative from Armenia’s government.  

With the new visa-free regime Albanian citizens can travel to Armenia without a prior visa and can stay in the country for a maximum of 180 days during the year.

Although diplomatic relations between Albania and Armenia were established on the 18 February 1993, bilateral relations between the two small countries have been very lukewarm in recent years.

Trade turnover is almost inexistent while the last official visit of an Armenian foreign minister to Albania was in 2008.

Since 2015 Armenia has an Honorary Consul in Tirana (Mr. Varuzhan Piranjani) while Albania covers diplomatic duties with Armenia from its Embassy in Athens.

The decision from Yerevan is expected to improve business and tourism ties between Armenia and Albania.

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“The ministry was asked for help by the assistance service of an insurance company, which will pay the entire cost for transporting these holidaymakers,” Slovak Interior Ministry spokesman Petar Lazarov said.

Beata Lipšicová, PR specialist of the Uniqua insurer, which insured Albania Travel, stated that the insurer initially approached commercial carriers, but it was complicated to hire planes in the midst of the holiday season.

“As it was our priority to get the holidaymakers home as soon as possible, early on Wednesday afternoon we eventually managed to secure their transport from Tirana to Poprad (Prešov Region in northeast Slovakia) by several aircraft of the Interior Ministry’s fleet,” Lipšicová said. The insurer will cover the flight.

What to do if you get stuck

On the same day, 86 people waited to be flown to Albania at the Poprad airport.

Holidaymakers unable to leave for Albania should contact the call centre of Uniqa insurer at (00421)02/32 600 100 or by email at poistovna@uniqa.sk.

Experts warn against travel agencies that only offer single destinations, which was the case with Albania Travel from Poprad.

Source: The Slovak Spectator

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James Goold, chairman of the Florida-based RPM Nautical Foundation, said the objects – dating from the 8th century B.C. through to World War II – would be a great tourist attraction if properly displayed in a museum.

Goold\’s RPM has mapped out the Ionian seabed from the Greek border all along to the Vlora Bay, finding at least 22 shipwrecks from the ancient times to World War II and hundreds of ancient amphorae. Those long, narrow terracotta vessels carried olive oil and wine along trade routes between North Africa and the Roman Empire, where Albania, then Illyria, was a crossroad.

\”The time has come to build a museum for Albanian and foreign tourists,\’\’ said Albanian archaeologist Neritan Ceka.

Some amphorae may have already been looted – they are not infrequently seen decorating restaurants along the Albanian coastline.

Albania is trying to protect and capitalise on its rich underwater heritage, long neglected by its former communist regime, but preservation still receives scarce funding from the government in one of Europe\’s poorest nations.

The arrival of RPM\’s Hercules research vessel 11 years ago was \”a real revolution,\’\’ Ceka said, praising its professional divers, high-tech sonar and remotely operated underwater vehicle.

RPM and a joint Albanian-Italian expedition are the only scientific underwater efforts in Albania so far, both with the government\’s approval.

Now RPM believes it\’s time for the not-for-profit Institute of Nautical Archaeology research organisation, which is based in Texas, US, to explore the possibilities of excavating shipwrecks, a financially expensive and scientifically delicate process.

\”There\’s a special environment in Albania, because the coast has been so protected for so many years,\’\’ said INA\’s David Ruff, a former commander of a nuclear-powered submarine.

Ruff said \”one of the real gems of Albania is the Butrint site\’\’ – a UNESCO-protected ancient Greek and Roman site in southernmost Albania close to the Greek border.

He said INA\’s Virazon II research vessel will stay for a month in Albanian waters \”to understand the coast of Albania and if we can run a large-scale excavation here.\’\’

Source: AP / Llazar Semini

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The service is a cooperation between Mobike, Municipality of Tirana and Italian ‘Mobike’ city of Florence.

Since it’s launch last week, Tirana’s streets have been glowing with the orange dockless bikes which can be parked anywhere across the central parts of the city. Users can simply download the Mobike App and unlock any bike parked freely on Tirana\’s streets.

The Mobike team held an official launching event at the heart of Tirana’s “Skanderbeg’s Square” on June 8th, with Mayor Veliaj making a public announcement opening the service to the people of Tirana. Representatives of the embassies of Italy and China also gave remarks at the event.

Symbolically, Albania’s first 25 Mobikers led a public introduction to the service, helping other citizens of Tirana sign up and embark on a group bike ride around the square and out into the city. Apart from being available to its residents, the bike service is expected to also serve increasing numbers of tourists which visit the former communist capital and its many historical attractions.

The launch follows closely on the Municipality of Tirana and Mobike signing an agreement last week in support of the municipality’s ambitious plan to grow the number of bikes and reduce the use of cars in the city.

\”As Tirana always brings innovation, with the arrival of Mobike we become the first city in the Balkans to introduce the dockless bikeshare service. This is our moment to transform Tirana with a cell phone and a bike,\” said Erion Veliaj, the young mayor of Tirana who has embarked upon an ambitious green transformation of the hugely polluted capital city.

During the past year Tirana\’s main park and central streets have been paved with special dedicated bicycle lanes, while the city expects to start using electric buses in the coming months.

Mobike was established in Beijing, China in January 2015, and officially launched its service in Shanghai on April 22, 2016. Since then it has expanded to over 200 cities around the world, serving over 200 million users with a fleet of more than 9 million smart Mobikes across the world.

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The news is praised by many Albanian aviation enthusiasts who were deeply disappointed when Albania’s Civil Aviation Authority revoked the license of the former national carrier Albanian Airlines in 2011.

According to TV Klan, the new joint venture between an Albanian company and Turkish Airlines will offer low cost flights to top European destinations like Rome, Istanbul, London, Brussels, Athens, Milan, Munich and Barcelona while a direct transatlantic flight between Tirana and New York is scheduled to fly by the end of this year.

According to an undisclosed source for Tirana Echo, the new carrier aims to stand out in the region by being very aggressive in conquering the market in Albania and its vicinities. It is currently in the final phase of training all its personnel in Turkey and it has promised introducing a modern fleet of A320’s into the small Balkan country.

Plans for the new airline were unveiled by Albanian prime minister Edi Rama last November through a photo on Facebook of the plane and a simple status of “Coming Soon”, leaving many to elaborate on its details and suggest the project has the support of the Albanian and Turkish governments.

The announcement was accompanied by revelations that a new major airport is planned to be built in Vlora, which is now scheduled to be complete by 2020.

According to the Albanian government, Albcontrol and MDN Investment, a private Albanian investment group will hold the controlling 51% of shares while Turkish Airlines will own the rest.

Air Albania starts flying after Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air started flying into the country last year, promising to further liberalize the tight market in Albania, where ticket prices are typically higher than its neighboring countries.

The number of passengers flying to and from Albania has grown considerably over the past few years, largely thanks to a constant rise in tourist groups and increasing demand by Albanian nationals and their families.

More 2.5 million passengers passed through the country\’s only international airport last year with higher numbers expected in 2018.

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Speaking this morning at the Marina of Orikum near the southern coastal city of Vlora, Rama said his government will press ahead with plans to drill a new milestone tunnel in the mountain of Llogara, drastically shortening the distance from Vlora to the Albanian Riviera while accelerating the building of a new airport in the area by 2020.

“We aim to turn Albania into a top destination of the Mediterranean package to the international tourism market, as our touristic potentials have not yet been exhausted. We will need to press ahead with the new Orikum-Llogara road as well as with the new tunnel of Llogara, which is a strategic necessity to reach the south faster.\” – said Rama in Orikum.

Albania has seen a constant growing trend of visitors and tourists since 2009. Last year over 5 million people visited Albania, compared to under 2 million in 2009. The government and tour operators expect a huge increase during 2018 as Albania improves its touristic offer and coastal infrastructure.

Rama promised to accelerate negotiations with the Turkish consortium which has agreed to turn the old military aerodrome of Akërnia in Vlora into an international airport of modern standards.

“We are negotiating the contract for the new Airport of Vlora which is a major investment. We will complete work faster than we previously thought, and we hope to have it opened and functional before 2020,” – said Rama.

A Turkish consortium currently building the world’s largest airport in Istanbul, has offered to build the new southern Airport of Vlora in Albania.

Albania’s infrastructure minister recently said the new airport will have larger capacities than the current Tirana International Airport, which has held exclusive operating rights over Albania under a Hochtief Consortium led 20-year concession contract obtained in 2005.

Albania has been receiving increasing world attention for its touristic potentials, often called as the ‘Last Secret of Europe’, for its crystal blue waters and its unspoiled white pebbled beaches in the southern Riviera, just across Corfu.  Its capital Tirana was this year featured in Lonely Planet’s Best in Europe 2018 list as one of the top 10 destinations to visit.

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It was a common scene in Tirana, the eastern Mediterranean capital of Albania — hundreds of people assembling in Skanderbeg Square, men and women dressed in olive-green partisan uniforms emblazoned with red Soviet stars as if they’d just come from a war. Or were on their way to one.

At just such gathering, graying dictator Enver Hoxha announced an aggressive military policy that would impact the lives of every man, woman and child in the tiny Balkan country. The leader who had ruled Albania with an iron fist since 1944 was about to prepare his homeland to defend itself against invasion on all fronts with a strange strategy — bunkerization.

Starting in 1967, construction of round-topped concrete bunkers continued unabated for the next 20 years until the mushroomlike strongholds sprouted along beaches and borders, atop hills and mountains and throughout fields and forests. Though the exact number of gray pods is unknown — estimates range from 500,000 to nearly 750,000 — the bunkers stand as monuments to the years that Albanians lived in complete isolation from the rest of the world.

There were two main reasons Hoxha decided bunkerization was necessary, according to Tritan Shehu, Albania’s former minister of foreign affairs. Construction of the bunkers was connected intrinsically with the regime’s paranoia about the intentions of the Soviet bloc and its equally deep-seated suspicions of the non-Communist world. “So it was a reaction that expressed the uncertainty that a criminal has when growing up in a civil environment,” Shehu says.

Hoxha was a devout Stalinist, an isolationist and an atheist. The state was the religion, and labor was often considered worship. Githmone gotti — “always ready” — was a common phrase in Hoxha’s Albania. The construction program added to that “psychology of fear” among the population, says Shehu. It became “necessary for Albanians to look like enemies to all who lived abroad, as well as anyone who did not like the domestic regime.”

The regime’s military defensive strategy was guerrilla warfare designed to defeat a more powerful invading force. Large bunkers squatted on hilltops with smaller bunkers radiating outward and connected via a network of tunnels that burrowed through the Albanian countryside. “Defense lines start with the individual and collec­tive positions of machine guns, then cannons and heavier artillery,” Rrahman Parllaku, a former high-ranking Albanian army veteran of World War II and the Kosovo War, told Elian Stefa and Gyler Mytydi, authors of Concrete Mushrooms. “Within infantry positions there are also gunmen, which provide firing support for the first and the second lines of defense.”

There was a historical precedent for this military philosophy. Albania’s landscape allowed it to fight the Ottoman Empire during five centuries of occupation, as well as thwart Italian and German attempts to control the country during World War II. With hundreds of thousands of bunkers peppering the countryside, Hoxha’s Albania was prepared to defend itself from the world.

But how did Hoxha become so crippled with paranoia that he had to fortify his nation? Hoxha had not made many friends in his time as leader. The Soviet Union parted ways with Albania after it sided with China during the Sino-Soviet rift. Conflict still simmered between Albania and Greece, its neighbor to the south. What was then Yugoslavia flanked it to the north and east, and relations were strained between Yugoslavian strongman Josip Broz Tito and Hoxha, who accused Tito of persecuting Yugoslavia’s Kosovar Albanian minority.

Despite the tensions of the era, war never came during Hoxha’s regime, which ended with the leader’s death, in 1985. The bunkers were never used as designed.

Thirteen years later, though, they finally saw action. Yugoslavia had broken in 1989, and its rump republics, Montenegro and Serbia, battled the Kosovo Liberation Army in 1998–99. The KLA used the bunkers as defensive positions along Albania’s border with Kosovo. The Serbian military responded by bombarding the concrete dugouts with artillery, even as refugees from the conflict sought shelter there.

Since then, most of the bunkers have fallen into disrepair, though many still crouch in mountain passes and along highways. Entrepreneurs have transformed some into hostels, shops and restaurants. “The future of the bunkers will be their destruction,” says Shehu, “and the liberation of the territories from them.” Though some people believe the nation should preserve the bunkers for their significance to Albanian history, Shehu disagrees. “The bunkers do not serve anyone,” he says. “They damage the territory and create pollution as well as bring up hideous memories of the past.”

Source: OZY.COM

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