Ballsh

Ballsh (definite Albanian form: Ballshi) is a town and a former municipality in Fier County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision and the seat of the municipality Mallakastër.[1] It was the seat of the former District of Mallakastër. The population at the 2011 census was 7,657.[2]

Ballsh
Municipal unit
Ballsh in the Distance
Emblem
Ballsh
Coordinates: 40°36′3″N 19°44′11″E
Country Albania
CountyFier
MunicipalityMallakastër
Elevation
231 m (758 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Municipal unit
7,657
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal Code
9308
Area Code0313
Websitewww.ballshi.com

Name

It was centre of Malkasra (Turkish of "Mallakastër") kaza in Sanjak of Berat in Yanya Vilayet during Ottoman rule between 1670 and 1912.[3] Its name evolved from the name of the ancient town Byllis, located in proximity of Ballsh. Church sources report the variants Byllis, Bellis, Ballis and Vallis.[4]

History
Main article: Byllis
Byllis Archaeological Park

Ballsh is close to the ancient city of Byllis, a city during the Illyria era. The Slavic invasions of the 6th and 7th centuries caused the decline of Byllis while Ballsh was built with materials plundered from Byllis..

Economy

The city's surrounding fields are rich in crude petroleum and are dotted by a series of oil wells established during the communist dictatorship. Only a fraction of these wells are operating today, but the city includes a working refinery, and outputs of naphthas are significant.

The refinery was owned by Taçi Oil through ARMO (Anika Mercuria Refinery Associated Oil, owned by Anika Enterprises). In 2013 ARMO was sold to Heaney Assets Corporation, an Azerbaijan corporation.[5][6]

Sports

The city's team KS Bylis Ballsh, plays at the Adush Muça Stadium.

See also

References
  1. "Law nr. 115/2014" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  2. 2011 census results Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  3. http://tarihvemedeniyet.org/documents/makaleler/20.%20yy%20Osmanli%20Vilayetleri.pdf
  4. Buda, Aleks (1984). Problems of the formation of the Albanian people, their language and culture: conference (selection). "8 Nëntori" Publishing House. p. 89.
  5. "Azerët, nga sot pronarë të ARMO-s, firmoset marrëveshja". Shekulli. 7 August 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-03-13.
  6. "ARMO changes owners". Top Channel. 2013-08-08. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2014-04-21.


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