“Arabbar interview for CNN for $2.5 billion investment in Durres Port

To invest $2 billion of Durres Port by Mohammed Alabbar founder and owner of the company EMAAR, spoken in the prestigious CNN media.

Mohammed Alabbar in the CNN interview while calling our country “The new Europa” says all indicators to invest in our country are positive. He says he has seen in us the government that works day and night to be part of the EU.

The new Europe is very attractive to me. When I look at Albania and see what's going on with the government and how hard it is to move forward, I wanted to be there. Because all indicators are positive. All these cities have a fantastic economic growth, the government works day and night to be part of the true Europe”, he says.

Regarding major investment in the Durres Port, he said hotels, shops, ports and many other activities will be involved.

I believe that these major investments can be successful anywhere in the world if you willingly do them with the right partners. I think I did this in many countries, but the last one was in Serbia, where we took over the train station, and I did the same and it worked extremely well. I really believe that this works all over the world, if you do it well, with the right partners, to build the largest port in the Adriatic Sea in Durres with over 12,000 apartments, hotels, restaurants and shops, I think it's like having a dream that I'm going to go and make it a reality”, Alabbar told CNN.

Asked about the negative reputation our country has for drug trafficking, corruption, he said these belong to the past and that Albania has made steps towards strengthening democracy and absorbing foreign investment. Here, he added, he wants not only to help rebuild but also to put our country on a map of the absorption of other foreign investments.

Albania unfortunately has a past because of governments in the past. They have to grow out of this. All indicators are very positive to me so I'm doing this project and I'm very proud to be the first.

It's interesting because they passed a catastrophic earthquake in 2019 that destroyed many buildings, including the Port of Durres. Looks like an opportunity to rebuild and redevelop the country.

Yes, of course, there are many reconstruction projects that are being implemented now, and I hope we can contribute not only to reconstruction, but we can contribute to Albania being put on a map and invite other investors there along with us, because we are certainly there to invest, but if we can contribute and do our duty as good citizens and we can highlight the importance and value of this country, the government and their people<x0, he added.

Prime Minister Rama, who attached to the video, has distributed this interview to social networks: Durres, the Mediterranean's Dubai Minor, on CNN.