The Assembly elects Gentian Sala as head of AKEP with 73 votes

2025-02-17 21:45:05Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Gentian Hall

The Albanian Parliament today voted Gentian Sala to the position of Chairman of the Steering Council of the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority (AKEP), with 73 votes in favor.

He replaces Tomi Frashëri in this position, whose mandate ended in December 2024.

The draft decision "on the appointment of a member of the Board of the Financial Supervisory Authority, who will hold the function of Chairman of the Board", was also voted on.

Saimir Tola was elected member of the financial oversight board with 72 votes in favor, 1 against, 1 abstention.

Gentian Sala's candidacy was proposed to the Albanian Parliament last month by the Council of Ministers.

Gentian Sala held the position of Chairman of the Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) in the period 2014-2019.

Subsequently, since 2021, he has been the head of the Secretariat for the Coordination of Relations between Albania and Kosovo. Gentian Sala is a lawyer by profession and holds the title of advocate. According to the law “On Electronic Communications”, the AKEP Steering Council consists of 5 members, who are elected by the Assembly, upon the proposal of the Council of Ministers, for a period of 5 years, with the right to re-election no more than once.

The Assembly appoints the chairman from among the members of the Board of Directors. The chairman of the Board of Directors is also the executive director of AKEP. The change at the head of AKEP comes at a delicate moment for competition in the mobile communications market. After the merger between the operators One and Albtelecom, two years ago, only two operators now operate in the mobile market and this has increased concerns about competition in the market.

At the end of January, the Competition Authority decided to open a preliminary investigation into the retail mobile services market.


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