Kosovo Businesses Welcome Expected Customs Office in Albanian Port

The Kosovo business community told BIRN they welcome the agreement between the governments of Albania and Kosovo on "collaboration and reciprocal assistance in customs matters," which would eventually translate into Kosovo having its own customs office at the Albanian port of Durres on the Adriatic. The office will ease customs procedures and save businesses time.

"We have passed a bill to ratify the agreement with Kosovo on mutual facilities in customs procedures, as well as the control of products entering and exiting the country," Albania's Finance Minister, Delina Ibrahimaj, said on Wednesday, referring to an agreement reached by the two countries in November 2021. "The agreement provides for the opening of Kosovo customs point… at Durres port," Ibrahimaj added.

Besir Cmega, owner of a Kosovo transport company, Railtrans LLC, told BIRN that a Kosovo customs at Durres would help his company by speeding up the arrival of goods in Kosovo.

"Clearance procedures would be carried out while the containers are still in port," Cmega told BIRN, adding that costs would also be reduced because currently all inspections of goods arriving in Albania for Kosovo have to be done separately by both Kosovo and Albanian customs.

Berat Rukiqi, director of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, told BIRN the aim was "to facilitate the transit and the clearance of goods at the arrival point. This will facilitate the circulation of goods by easing the bureaucracy and reducing time", he said, as trucks would no longer go through double or triple checks.

Minister Ibrahimaj added: "This deal will make it easier for our two countries to trade. All licenses issued by all border customs authorities will be recognized. It will unify the two countries' customs...