TAP and Raiffeisen Bank donate 36 VIENNA benches to the “Skënderbej” square in Tirana
On 11 January 2018, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and Raiffeisen Bank donated to the Municipality of Tirana 36 VIENNA benches, a gift from both companies for the “Skënderbej” square.
The delivery of benches was witnessed by the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, TAP’s Commercial and External Affairs Director and Albania Country Manager, Ulrike Andres, the General Director of Raiffeisen Bank in Albania, Christian Canacaris, and the Austrian Ambassador to Albania, Johann Sattler.
Mayor Veliaj noted the benches will draw even more people to the square. “This gift gives more spirit to the square. The squares are infrastructural, urban spaces, but if they have no soul, people and life, they’re not valuable to the city. I am very grateful to TAP, Raiffeisen Bank and the Austrian Embassy and I believe that investments in the city are everyone’s responsibility,” he said.
“Tirana is a very welcoming city where I feel like home. Today, as I look at the “Skënderbej” square with these new benches, Tirana looks even closer to us, as we have such benches in Vienna, where my family and I live. The donation of VIENNA benches to the Municipality of Tirana is part of TAP’s social and environmental investment programme in Albania. We are pleased that we reached an agreement with Raiffeisen Bank, the Austrian Embassy and the Municipality of Vienna to make this donation,” said TAP’s Commercial and External Affairs Director and Albania Country Manager, Ulrike Andres.
The 36 VIENNA benches are manufactured in Museums Quartier Vienna and the total investment amounts to €70,000, out of which TAP contributed €42,000, and Raiffeisen Bank €28’000. In addition, the Austrian Embassy in Albania and the Municipality of Vienna donated five extra VIENNA benches.
Currently, there are 41 VIENNA benches in the “Skënderbej” square, which not only provide a resting place but also enliven the main square in Tirana. The multi-coloured VIENNA benches are very famous in several European cities, including Vienna or Munich.
energjia.al, 19.01.2018