FLASH NEWS
Transport Associations write to ministers: 450 lines at risk of service from next week
2026-04-10 17:04:21 / AKTUALITET
Public transport associations warn that due to increased costs from rising fuel prices and the lack of institutional response to provide compensation, service disruptions for around 450 lines in the sector are at risk from next week.
The Association of Citizen Transport and the Association of Urban and Interurban Transport have addressed another letter today to the Minister of Economy, Delina Ibrahimaj, and the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Enea Karakaçi, requesting urgent intervention to provide compensation.
In the absence of an institutional response, where the ministries promised another meeting after the meeting held on April 1st that has not yet taken place, the operators say they will not be able to afford to continue the activity.
The main request of the operators remains the provision of compensation, implementing a scheme similar to that of 2022. At the April 1 meeting, transport associations proposed a compensation measure for diesel in the amount of 100 lek per liter.
In total, there are about 235 licensed operators for 450 regular lines in the entire public transport sector in the country.
"Following the meeting held on 01.04.2026, between representatives of institutions and representatives of the public transport sector, we are addressing you again on behalf of the National Association of Urban Transport and the Association of Urban and Interurban Transport, to request information regarding the progress of the review of our requests, as well as to request immediate emergency interventions in support of this sector.
To this moment, despite the aggravated problems and the urgency of the situation, the next meeting promised to be held on 07.04.2026 has not taken place, we have not received any official reaction, concrete information or institutional position on how the requests submitted by us will be handled and on the measures envisaged to assist public transport operators. This lack of information and lack of reaction is further aggravating the financial and operational uncertainty of the entities that exercise this activity.
As was made clear during the meeting, the public transport sector is in an extremely difficult economic situation, as a result of the significant increase in operating costs, in particular fuel, maintenance, spare parts and other obligations directly related to the provision of the service.
In the absence of a rapid and concrete intervention by the responsible institutions, the operators will not have the financial means to cope with the normal continuation of activity from next week. Consequently, if the institutions do not react, as we emphasized above, from next week the continuity of public service for citizens will be seriously jeopardized.
For this reason, we request that clear information be made available to us, as soon as possible, on the steps being taken by the relevant institutions regarding our requests, as well as on the concrete deadlines within which a decision is expected. Procrastinating this issue for an indefinite period of time makes the situation untenable and leads the sector towards the real impossibility of guaranteeing the service.
We reiterate that our main request, also presented after the first meeting, is related to the need to approve an emergency support package, specifically by establishing a financial compensation mechanism for fuel such as VKM no. 225, dated 13.04.2022, at a level that reflects the real increase in costs and enables the immediate stabilization of the situation. Such a measure is essential to avoid reducing the fleet, reducing the frequency of service and further deteriorating the functioning of public transport.
The public transport sector represents a service of particular public and social importance. Consequently, failure to intervene in a timely manner does not only affect economic operators, but directly harms the public interest, the citizens who use this service and the normal functioning of urban and interurban life. In view of the above, we request:
Immediate official information on the progress of reviewing our requests after the meeting on 01.04.2026;
Defining a concrete institutional position regarding the measures to be taken to support the sector;
"Urgent intervention to approve an emergency support package, in order to avoid the financial collapse of operators and guarantee the continuity of public service ," the associations' letter states.
Public transport associations also emphasize the need to address fiscal requirements in order to alleviate costs, including excise duty, turnover tax and VAT./ Monitor
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