After operating for several months in a 'virtual' form, the Durana technology park is seeking to legalize this practice through legal changes in parliament, which are opposed by opposition representatives.
A draft law amending the 2022 law on the functioning of technological and scientific parks, initiated by Socialist MP Ramion Kurti, was approved on Monday in two parliamentary committees.
The draft law introduces for the first time the legal definition of virtual operation, while the current law only defined a physical park, which currently does not exist.
According to the new provisions, the activities envisaged in the technology park "may be carried out virtually/remotely..." and that "the activity of the virtual/remote park begins with the conclusion of the agreement between the developer and the responsible institution."
The Durana Technology Park was planned to be located in Xhafzotaj, Durrës, with the aim of attracting domestic and foreign investments for IT companies, universities or digital nomads. According to the law, businesses that would operate in this technology park are provided with fiscal incentives such as zero tax on profits for 15 years, zero tax on personnel salaries for 10 years and other incentives.
Despite the fact that the physical park has not been built, 'Durana Tech Park', a joint stock company owned by the Investment Corporation, has begun operations, registering resident companies in the park and operating in virtual form.
The executive director of 'Durana Tech Park', Florencia Haxhi, said that 52 companies had been registered in the park so far, while claiming that none of them had really benefited from the fiscal exemptions so far.
During the discussion of the draft law, opposition MPs raised concerns about the violation of the law by the company and the favoritism of certain companies linked to the government or involved in investigations into the National Agency for Information Services, AKSHI,
"Today we have a park that practically does not exist. We have a virtual, theoretical, paper park. Meanwhile, there are about 50 companies that benefit from fiscal favors. Companies that, according to reports, are linked to a structured group that benefits from these schemes," said the chairwoman of the Human Rights Commission, Jorida Tabaku, while asking several questions to representatives of the Ministry of Economy and the park's managers.
According to Tabaku, there is no analysis of the impact on the budget of tax cuts for these companies, while he raised concerns about violations of EU directives, which require equal treatment of economic operators.
"This project interferes in the market and creates a preferential lane for some companies, distorting competition," said Tabaku, while expressing the judgment that the law "creates fiscal favors and a selective model that distorts competition in the information technology sector."
DP MP Igli Cara also raised similar concerns in the Economy Committee.
"So you're admitting that we broke the law, because it should have been a physical territory, with an entry and exit gate and a customs point. Now the virtual model has been invented," he said.
Cara asked Durana Park executives why the list of registered companies included the same ones that received tenders from AKSHI or were rumored to have connections to the government and politics.
Administrator Gjergji Taho responded to the MP that the selection of companies was related to meeting the conditions and not to favoritism.
“We cannot be discriminatory about who applies to be part of the park, there is zero selection, only who passes the eligibility process to be part,” Taho said.
Asked by Cara if the park would ever become physical, Taho said that the physical park was being designed depending on the needs of the registered companies. “The virtuality at this stage is to understand whether physical construction will be necessary,” he added.
The opposition also appealed for transparency on the companies that benefit from this law.
At a press conference on Monday, DP MP Enno Bozdo said that the Ministry of Economy and Innovation had refused to provide information on companies registered virtually. According to Bozdo, the concept of “virtuality” was illegal and therefore the fiscal benefits received by the companies were illegal. /BIRN./
