The strategic location of Porto Palermo, in the Himara region and on the Ionian coast, where a military base with underground galleries for warships and submarines once operated, appears to be being given to a private individual for the construction of a luxury resort. The project was initiated three years ago by the Albanian Investment Company (AIC), but has never been officially made public.
According to information revealed by the Albanian website VoxNews, AIC officials have secretly taken a series of actions aimed at transferring a large coastal area belonging to the Ministry of Defense. The area, where a military base used to be, is now intended for the construction of a five-star hotel, a marina for yachts and boats, as well as the "conversion" of the old underground submarine tunnels into a museum.
It is worth noting that in the summer of 2022 the government had declared the bay of Porto Palermo as a “marine-coastal natural park” with a total area of 1,694 hectares, of which almost 88% concerns the marine zone. However, most of the land – where the former military base is located – was excluded from the protected area, which paved the way for private investment and construction activity.
This practice is reminiscent of similar cases in other coastal areas, where sections of land are removed from protection status to allow the construction of tourist complexes. According to the report, the same tactic appears to have been applied in the case of Porto Palermo.
A report by the country’s Supreme Audit Court (KLSH) confirms that the Albanian Investment Company has already prepared a “project proposal” under the title “Porto Palermo Marina Resort” since March 2022. The plan envisages the development of the area with strategic investments: construction of a port, luxury resorts, docking infrastructure and restoration of old military facilities.
KLSH also notes that the company proceeded with the first stages of the project – preparing a feasibility study, concluding contracts with external experts – without having previously undergone the necessary legal transfer of public property under its jurisdiction.
If the plan is implemented, it is not ruled out that it will become a new file for the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SPAK), as has already happened with other cases of privatization of military bases in Sarandë and Senj.
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