Businesses in Durres with millions of euros in damage after earthquake

Under the ruins caused by the November 26th earthquake in Durres, Lavdosh Petosati appeared safely after four hours, thanks to his workers' assistance. The owner of the “Pespa Alumin” sees the company on the hardest day since it was established, about 20 years ago, because the damage to the building is huge and a debt in millions of euros is a burden on it.

The company has 300 employees from the Durres Circle, people who have been around 18 years, 17 years, 13 years, and today can we say that these people are today specialists of this company that we're going to leave 10 days at home or a month, I can't do it. I'm gonna go on until the day I'm breathing, I'm gonna keep it <x1.

The entrepreneur of aluminium products in Albania at the plant, with about 30,000 square metres, says further that the workers' demand is to resume their jobs. He says he has managed to adapt intact facilities to enable the return of hope with the start of several processes.

If people are going to hire, it's like school work to open up, it creates a kind of vitality with people who are killed, they're destroyed, and that would make them take away the bad things of the earthquake. With my employees and all my staff, I've been talking on phones since the second day, and people have asked that they want to start work. They refused to stay for three days without work”.

Over 20 such large businesses, ranging from 100 to 300 workers in Durres, have suffered damage from buildings with losses in millions of euros. The restoration of production is vital to their future, especially in the weight of employment. The chairman of the Durres Chamber of Commerce, Alban Ister, speaks of the Voice of America of the business situation after the earthquake.

The main “dams are in infrastructure, there are many big manufacturing businesses, but even small businesses that have suffered irreparable damage in the millions and millions of euros that are almost impossible at a fast time to rehabilitate the situation. There are major labor force shortcomings due to the situation, as a large portion of the workers have not been introduced and companies work with 50% of capacity”. Isteri further says that the Chamber of Commerce Assembly has proposed to the Government a package of assistance measures.

“Pict First of all the measures consist in a better co-ordination for sending expert groups to verify damage to business objects and Certificate of buildings with the aim of restarting work more safely for employers, fiscal facilities for businesses in Durres County, suspending all fiscal obligations for a three-year period (counturing profits, social security, T VSH, local taxes etc., VAT remuneration for builders and fascists. Lobbying through the Bank of Albania for suspension of loan installments for a period of one year, etc.”, he says.

The chairman of the Durres Chamber of Commerce, a non-governmental body, said further that the Financial Supervision Agency's commitment to monitoring damages payments to secured businesses, as well as other proposals were required to facilitate the resulting business position.

The Durres district is the third largest district in Albania, where 10.1 % of the population lives, while the number of employed accounts for 7.5 % of the total in Albania. The zone faces the largest tourist trend and the return of service standards in this sector is expected to be a challenge for the upcoming summer season.