On 15.06.2023, the Assembly of Albania held a plenary session where the Chairman of the Competition Commission, Mr. Denar Biba, presented the report on the activity of the Competition Authority for the year 2022.
In his speech, the Chairman of the Competition Authority, Mr. Biba stopped at the steps taken by the institution to ensure a free and effective competition in the market, pursuant to law no. 9121, “On the protection of competition”, but also the fulfillment of the recommendations left in the Resolution of the Assembly for the evaluation of the activity of the CA for the year 2021.
Also, during his speech, Mr. Biba informed that, during the year 2022, 99 decisions were taken by the Competition Commission, which is not only a record during the 17 years of the CA’s life, but also shows the continuous work of the Competition Authority. Also, during this year, 15 monitorings were carried out in sensitive markets with a direct impact on the well-being of the consumer, and 11 investigative procedures were carried out, namely: in the wholesale market of diesel fuel and gasoline; in the wholesale market of international call termination; in the market of drugs and medical devices; in the import, production and wholesale market of vegetable oil; in the import and wholesale market of chemical fertilizers; in the market where non-bank financial entities operate; in the Tirana International Airport parking facilities management market; in the market of service provision of measuring instruments through fuel and liquefied gas distribution instruments; in the cement production/import and wholesale market; in the concrete production market in Tirana district, Durrës Elbasan; in the market of production, transmission and digital sale of audio and video products, to cable operators (repeaters of programs supported by cable network).
Despite the fact that the Competition Authority has as the principle of its activity, education and not the imposition of fines for the subjects under investigation, it is worth noting that, at the end of the investigative procedures in the market of import and wholesale trading of chemical fertilizers, in the production market and trading of crude oil, in the market of management of the parking facilities of Tirana International Airport, as well as in the market of wheat import, import, production and trading of flour, the Competition Authority has imposed 4 fines for serious violations of law 9121 /2003 “For the protection of Competition”, in the total value of 224,225,947 (two hundred and twenty-four million two hundred and twenty-five thousand nine hundred and forty-seven) Lek. The Chairman of the Competition Authority emphasized that this institution will continue to fulfill its purpose defined in law no. 9121/2003, to ensure a free and effective competition in the market, through monitoring, investigations and taking the necessary measures in sensitive markets and with a direct impact on the well-being of the Albanian consumer, will continue the approximation of legislation within the process of European integration and will remain engaged in promoting competition advocacy with stakeholders.