TIRANA, March 11 – Finance Minister Petrit Malaj met with Tax Administration Director General Ilir Binaj and Customs Director General Besmir Beja. During the meeting, the officials agreed on an operational plan to establish a joint taskforce between the two institutions.

The taskforce will strengthen tax and customs control in the hydrocarbons sector. The plan covers both wholesale and retail fuel trade. The initiative aims to prevent abusive price increases and protect Albanian consumers.

During the meeting, Malaj said recent international developments influenced the decision. He noted that the latest tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel affected global hydrocarbon prices. As a result, the authorities will closely monitor fuel prices in the wholesale and retail market to prevent abusive increases.

Meanwhile, the minister said the institutions agreed on the operational steps of the initiative. The plan includes risk assessment of companies operating in the sector. In addition, authorities will gather market information on potential abuses.

Furthermore, Malaj said inspections will not focus only on tax and customs documentation. Authorities will also carry out physical checks of fuel quantities traded at wholesale and retail points.

At the same time, he stressed that the Ministry of Finance remains committed to sound tax and customs administration in the interest of Albanian citizens.

Meanwhile, Customs Director General Besmir Beja said inspections will cover the entire territory of the country. Authorities will target businesses identified through risk analysis.

In addition, Beja said Customs and the Tax Administration will form joint inspection teams. The teams will verify that businesses operate in line with the law. They will also ensure that all sales are fiscally registered and that fuel meets customs and tax obligations.

Earlier, Tax Administration Director General Ilir Binaj said the institutions had coordinated the operational plan and started the risk analysis process. He added that experience from previous operations helped identify concrete issues in the sector. According to him, the authorities plan to extend the operation over a longer period to increase market formalization and ensure the proper functioning of the hydrocarbons market.

/a.p./