Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's visit to Tirana on October 12 was not limited to diplomatic meetings and statements about strengthening relations between the two countries. Israeli media have revealed details of the agreements signed during the visit, including an ambitious goal to increase air links tenfold and the possibility for the Albanian government to directly contract Israeli companies.
According to i24NEWS television, during Sa'ar's visit to Albania, an advanced cooperation agreement in the field of aviation was signed between the Israeli minister and the Albanian Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Enea Karakaçi.
But the most interesting detail comes from the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, which, citing an official from the Israeli Ministry of Transportation, reports that Israel aims to increase the number of flights and air connections with Albania by up to tenfold.
According to the newspaper, the agreement aims to expand air transport capacities and increase flight opportunities between the two countries, including the use of more schedules at Ben Gurion Airport and Albanian airports. This is a stated objective by the Israeli side and not a tenfold increase in flights that has already been decided.
Israel Hayom also reports that the number of Israeli tourists in Albania has increased from about 7 thousand to 100 thousand per year over the last three years, turning our country into an increasingly sought-after destination for Israeli tourists.
However, the aviation agreement is not the only one that has attracted the attention of the Israeli media.
According to reports by i24NEWS and the Israeli agency TPS-IL, a broader intergovernmental cooperation agreement was also signed during the visit, which creates opportunities for the involvement of Israeli companies in public projects in Albania.
Israeli reports explicitly mention the possibility of the Albanian government directly contracting Israeli companies.
This is an element that deserves public explanation. It has not been made clear what procedures will be followed for these contracts, whether there will be open competition or whether the agreement provides for a special contracting mechanism.
Gideon Sa'ar's visit took place at a time when Israel is facing major diplomatic and security challenges due to developments in the Middle East. In Tirana, the Israeli minister was received by his counterpart Ferit Hoxha and held meetings in the framework of expanding bilateral cooperation.
One detail that did not go unnoticed was the way i24NEWS identified the Albanian minister who signed the aviation agreement. Instead of Enea Karakaci, the Israeli media published the name “Eneida Kërcaku”, both in the photo description and in the text of the news.
While Israeli media provide details about the objectives of the agreements, including a possible tenfold increase in flights and contracting with Israeli companies, it remains necessary for the Albanian government to publish the full texts of the signed documents.
Especially to clarify whether the possibility of direct contracting is simply an instrument of cooperation between the two governments or creates a special regime for the selection of Israeli companies in Albanian public projects.
