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The Curse of Wealth/ Beralb earned 15 million euros in 1 year from Albanian copper, but is drowning entire villages with pollution
2026-08-07 15:14:00 / EKONOMI&SOCIALE
The increase in the price of copper in international markets is bringing billions of dollars to the largest concessionaire of this mineral in Albania. The Turkish company Beralb reported that its net profits from its activity in Albania increased 8 times over the past year, reaching 1.4 billion lek, or 15 million euros at the current exchange rate.
According to data from the balance sheet deposited with the Central Bank of Albania, total revenues from the sale of copper produced in Albania increased by 54 percent compared to 2024, reaching 5.2 billion lek.
The increase in profits was mainly generated by the rise in the price of copper in international markets. Last year, the price of copper reached $12,000 per ton from $9,500 in 2024.
The company predicts that copper prices will remain at high levels due to the large increase in demand for this mineral, which is dictated by the increase in the production of electric cars, but also large investments in data centers.
Earnings in Turkey
Beralb Sha is a joint stock company established in February 2001. The sole owner of the Company is Nesko Metal Sanayi ve Ticaret AS, registered as a limited liability company, established and located in Turkey. The latter is now 100 percent owned by Ekin Maden, with the ultimate owner being Erol Kohen, a Turkish Jew.
According to data from the balance sheet, Beralb decided to distribute almost 8.4 million euros from last year's profit as a dividend to its Turkish owner, while the rest of the profit was used to cover carried forward losses.
Beralb has a concession to exploit the three largest copper mines in Albania, Munella, Lakroshi and Karma, as well as the enrichment plant in Fushë-Arrëz. Initially, the concession agreement for these facilities had a term of 30 years and was due to end in 2031.
But in 2017, the Albanian government extended the concession term to 42 years, pushing the new final deadline to 2043.
Destruction of villages in Albania
A month ago, the Catholic Church sent an open letter to Prime Minister Edi Rama, raising the alarm about the catastrophic pollution of the Fan River from waste dumped into its course by the "BERALB" copper enrichment company in Fushë-Arrëz.
In the letter, Frat Adreas Walterman raised concerns that the Fan River is dead, as its water cannot be used by residents even to irrigate agricultural lands, adding that the situation has remained the same for 18 years.
This is a story that goes back a long time. A project funded by the Swedish government in 2024 found that the presence of iron in the water in the Fushë Arrëz area was 7 times higher than EU norms, that of aluminum 4 times more, and lead more than twice the norm.
Long-term exposure to these metals poses a serious risk to public health, as these polluted waters can also contaminate groundwater, which would be fatal for residents who then use it as drinking water.
The long exposure to the alarming pollution that Beralb has caused in the Fushë Arrëz area has led to the destruction of entire villages such as Kimëz and Kalivar.
While farmers watch their land become increasingly contaminated and with it the destruction of their daily lives, billions in their underground wealth fly to Turkey and China. /Capital
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