22 April 2020 - Tirana International Airport (TIA) urges certain media to cease further publishing fake news related to the measures taken at the airport against the spread of Covid-19, for the business operators at the airport.

TIA is following with concern the publishing of untrue facts that falsely pretend as “Tirana Prosecution Office has launched an investigation today against the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tirana International Airport, Constantin von Alvensleben that has violated the government orders, as has forced operators which operate in the terminal to stay open, threatening them by making reference to the agreement entered into with them”, published by STOP Klan TV (on 20^{th –} 21th of April 2020) and other portals as off 22th of April 2020.

In response to this untrue and totally false news TIA would like to clarify that has followed strictly all decisions made by Government of Albania on the specific measures to prevent the spreading of COVID-19. The business operators at the airport have been urged to comply with decisions of the Minister of Health and Social Protection during the period of 10 March 2020 and 12 March 2020.

The Order No.156 dated 10/03/2020 "On the Specific Measures to be taken to  Prevent  the  Spreading  of  Infection  caused  by  COVID-19"  of  Minister  of  Health  and  Social Protection,  is ordering  that the restaurants and bars must respect the two meter-distance of the tables from each other. TIA has urged its business operators to be in compliance with this order.

The Order Nr. 164 dated 12/03/2020 “On the Closure of the Bars, Restaurants and Fast Foods” of Minister of Health and Social Protection, contained the order for the closure of the restaurants and bars. TIA has urged the business operators of the airport to close down the bars and the restaurant following this order. As a matter of fact the closure decision is still in place until a further notice made by state authorities.

Any further comments or public statements made by the media above - one month after these facts - to defame and to damage the public figure of the Chief Executive Officer and the company itself, without any based proof, is subject to law and will have legal consequences.

Tirana International Airport has always supported the transparency of the media, the right to inform and strongly condemn the defamation in the name of small interest of certain businesses or people.

TIA is very sensitive to the whole critical situation created by COVID-19. TIA has done the very best to adapt the measures and to assist the repatriation flights and cargo flights, but above all to assist its partners in these difficult days. Furthermore, TIA has generously taken relief measures for the businesses operating at the airport, despite that flights of passengers dropped down by 98%.

Tirana International Airport remains faithful to the trusted media as the sublime tool to inform correctly the public and to shape the development of Albania in the best of ways, as the biggest contribution.