Kosovo Unhappy with Albania Road Toll Fee

Tirana, Apr 05 (Tirana Echo) – Kosovo has officially protested against the latest toll fee introduced by the Albanian government on the highway linking the two neighboring countries.

Minister for Infrastructure Pal Lekaj met yesterday with Albania’s Ambassador to Kosovo Qemal Minxhozi and expressed Kosovo’s disapproval of the newly introduced toll fee of €5 Euros per single passage.

Lekaj said he had written to his Albanian transport colleague Damian Gjiknuri and he had not received a reply yet.

“I emphasized our disapproval with the price and the manner in which the decision was taken over on eof the main transport arteries between the two countries. Any next steps should be conducted in full agreement between Albania and Kosovo as two brotherly countries which need to exercise positive influences for their overall development,” – Lekaj said after the meeting with the Albanian Ambassador in Prishtina.

Kosovo’s authorities are concerned the new toll introduced on the highway linking Albania with Kosovo will mainly hurt Kosovan travelers who mainly use this road for business and touristic purposes.

Last week the new fee prompted violent protests by local residents in the Kukës region, with protesters burning down the toll cabins and paralyzing circulation for several hours.

Albania’s prime minister Edi Rama has said he would consider lowering the tariff for local residents in Albania, however the €5 passage fee will remain unchanged.