Albanians Dispute New Pipeline Compensation Rates

Four families in Albania have submitted complaints to the European Investment Bank, EIB, over the low level of compensation they have been offered from TAP representatives for the displacement of their properties as a result of building the pipeline.

"We informed people in Albania about their complaint options and there are several that they can use, the EIB, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, TAP itself and the Albanian Ombudsman.

"We think more cases are possible," said Anna Roggenbuck, policy officer with CEE Bankwatch Network, a group of NGOs tracking the social and environmental impacts of the EU's public investments, mainly through the EIB, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD.

The four complaints were filed after two Bankwatch fact-finding missions during summer.

The Trans Adriatic Pipeline will transport natural gas from Azerbaijan via Turkey to Greece, Albania and then across the Adriatic Sea to Italy.

Construction of the project, estimated to cost around 5 billion euros, started in 2016. EIB is considering a 2 billion euro loan for the construction of TAP.

The first gas supply via TAP is expected in 2020. In Albania, the pipeline will follow a 200-km route.

TAP's shareholders are major energy companies such as SOCAR, Snam, BP, Fluxys, Enagas and Axpo.

According to Bankwatch Network, the TAP in Albania will impact on around 80 communities whose livelihoods are based on agriculture to a large extent.

"It has a tremendous social impact in Albania. It [TAP] hasn't consulted well with people. They told them they have to give up their land for the pipeline construction and that they will be compensated. But they didn't tell people they could...