Posta Shqiptare
Encyclopedia
Posta Shqiptare is the national postal service
of Albania
. Posta Shqiptare sh.a. is a public limited company
owned by the Albanian Government. Current chairman of Posta Shqiptare is Genc Ruli
, the current Minister of Economy, Trade and Energetic Resources.
. According to sources and history books it is thought that the first postal offices opened during the 1840s and 1850s. A more organized postal service started in 1878 where postal offices were opened in every city in Albania. in the end of the 19th century and in the beginnings of the 20th century, in Albania started working two naval companies which would also work as postal offices for deliveries abroad. Those were the Austria
n LLoyd company and the Italian
Puglia company and were settled in all coastal cities (Shkoder
, Durres
, Vlorë
, Sarande
, Shengjin
).
, appreciated the communications importance and just a week after the declaration of independence, on December 5, 1912, founded the first Albanian postal, telephonic and telegraphic service. He also founded the Ministry of Telegraphs and Communications whose first minister was Lef Nosi
. The first Albanian post stamps were emitted on May 5, 1913. During this government were produced six different emissions of stamps. On July 7, 1913 the Albanian Provisional Government
applied to become a member of the General Postal Union
, a process which lasted for more than 8 years and ended successfully on March 1, 1922. During this time the total number of connected offices was 17 while the length of the connecting cables was 1400 km. The headquarters were in Tirana
and consisted of a director, four telegraphists, a Prime telegraphist, two postal workers and a delivery worker. The international service was possible in Korce
and Gjirokastër
for all Greece
mails, from Vlorë
for all Italy mails and from Shkoder
and Diber for all Yugoslavia
mails. In 1938 there were 68 postal offices and agencies in all over Albania. As the Italian capital starts growing in the country, the needs to communicate with Italy became indispensable. For this reason the Albanian Government decided to install a radio-station with short-length waves which made possible the telephone and telegraph connection between Rome and Tirana.
which would also serve as a connector between Tirana, Belgrade
and Skopje
. There were also established connections throughout the country and by the 70s there were postal offices in every single city or villagge in Albania.
, TNT
, UPS
and FedEx
. For the first time, Posta Shqiptare started the financial services while during 1998–2001 thanks to the investments made, the infrastructure was improved. In September 1999, law nr. 8530 was approved from the Parliament. According to the law, the postal services can be offered from every postal company, respecting a reserved area of postal services which are covered from Posta Shqiptare. Since 2008, Posta Shqiptare has an infrastructure which consists of 15 postal affiliates, 19 branches and offers its service to 250 postal offices throughout Albania.
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. Posta Shqiptare sh.a. is a public limited company
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
owned by the Albanian Government. Current chairman of Posta Shqiptare is Genc Ruli
Genc Ruli
Genc Ruli is an Albanian politician. A member of the Democratic Party of Albania, he is the current Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Consumer Protection in the cabinet of Sali Berisha....
, the current Minister of Economy, Trade and Energetic Resources.
Beginnings in the Ottoman Empire
The needs to communicate in distance, which dictated the economic, cultural, social and spiritual development of the country, dictated even the development of the postal services. The postal services in Albania have started since the country was part of the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. According to sources and history books it is thought that the first postal offices opened during the 1840s and 1850s. A more organized postal service started in 1878 where postal offices were opened in every city in Albania. in the end of the 19th century and in the beginnings of the 20th century, in Albania started working two naval companies which would also work as postal offices for deliveries abroad. Those were the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n LLoyd company and the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Puglia company and were settled in all coastal cities (Shkoder
Shkodër
Shkodër , is a city located on Lake of Shkoder in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. Shkodër's estimated population is 90,000; if the...
, Durres
Durrës
Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
, Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
, Sarande
Sarandë
Sarandë or Saranda is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean 2 nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The city of Saranda has a...
, Shengjin
Shëngjin
Shëngjin is a coastal town in the Lezha District, northwestern Albania. The town is home to one of Albania's entry ports, Port of Shëngjin....
).
After the Independence
It is only after Albania declared its independence that the Provisional Government of Ismail QemaliProvisional Government of Albania
The Provisional Government of Albania is the first Government created by Assembly of Vlorë in 4 December 1912. It was a paternal government, led by Ismail Qemali, until his resignation in 22 January 1914 and by Fejzi Bej Alizoti, until the coronation of William, Prince of Albania.- Government...
, appreciated the communications importance and just a week after the declaration of independence, on December 5, 1912, founded the first Albanian postal, telephonic and telegraphic service. He also founded the Ministry of Telegraphs and Communications whose first minister was Lef Nosi
Lef Nosi
Lef Nosi was an Albanian politician and collaborationist during the Second World War. He was one of the signatories of Albanian Declaration of Independence. Nosi was the first Minister of Post and Telegraphs of Albania...
. The first Albanian post stamps were emitted on May 5, 1913. During this government were produced six different emissions of stamps. On July 7, 1913 the Albanian Provisional Government
Provisional Government of Albania
The Provisional Government of Albania is the first Government created by Assembly of Vlorë in 4 December 1912. It was a paternal government, led by Ismail Qemali, until his resignation in 22 January 1914 and by Fejzi Bej Alizoti, until the coronation of William, Prince of Albania.- Government...
applied to become a member of the General Postal Union
Universal Postal Union
The Universal Postal Union is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration , the Postal Operations Council and the...
, a process which lasted for more than 8 years and ended successfully on March 1, 1922. During this time the total number of connected offices was 17 while the length of the connecting cables was 1400 km. The headquarters were in Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
and consisted of a director, four telegraphists, a Prime telegraphist, two postal workers and a delivery worker. The international service was possible in Korce
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
and Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
for all Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
mails, from Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
for all Italy mails and from Shkoder
Shkodër
Shkodër , is a city located on Lake of Shkoder in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. Shkodër's estimated population is 90,000; if the...
and Diber for all Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
mails. In 1938 there were 68 postal offices and agencies in all over Albania. As the Italian capital starts growing in the country, the needs to communicate with Italy became indispensable. For this reason the Albanian Government decided to install a radio-station with short-length waves which made possible the telephone and telegraph connection between Rome and Tirana.
During the Communist period (1946-1990)
During the war many networks and lines were damaged so after the country's liberation it was needed a hard work to repair the damaged lines and build new ones. In 1946 was built a new telephonic line between Tirana and PeshkopiPeshkopi
Peshkopi is a city in Dibër District, Dibër County, northeastern Albania.It is located away from Tirana, the capital of Albania, and from the Macedonian border. It is situated at 41°40'N and 20°25'. It sits above sea level. In the 2004 census, there were approximately 14,100 residents. It is...
which would also serve as a connector between Tirana, Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
and Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
. There were also established connections throughout the country and by the 70s there were postal offices in every single city or villagge in Albania.
The 90s and present time
During the 1990s there were many positive developments. Many international companies started operating in Albania such as DHLDHL
DHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post providing international express mail services. DHL is a world market leader in sea and air mail....
, TNT
TNT
TNT is the chemical explosive trinitrotoluene.TNT or T.N.T. may also refer to:-Television:* TNT , American cable television channel and its international offshoots* TNT , a television station in Launceston, Australia...
, UPS
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
and FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
. For the first time, Posta Shqiptare started the financial services while during 1998–2001 thanks to the investments made, the infrastructure was improved. In September 1999, law nr. 8530 was approved from the Parliament. According to the law, the postal services can be offered from every postal company, respecting a reserved area of postal services which are covered from Posta Shqiptare. Since 2008, Posta Shqiptare has an infrastructure which consists of 15 postal affiliates, 19 branches and offers its service to 250 postal offices throughout Albania.