Democratic Party MP and Fier County representative in Parliament Luan Baçi has come out against the proposed territorial reorganization that would dissolve the municipalities of Patos and Divjakë.
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He called on residents, regardless of their political beliefs, to oppose the initiative, while declaring that he would support whatever decision they make.
According to Baçi, the concerns raised by residents are legitimate, and their demand that these two local government units not be dissolved should be taken into consideration.
He also said the same position applies to the other municipalities that the Socialist Party is seeking to dissolve: Fushë-Arrëz, Klos, Rrogozhinë, Dimal, Poliçan, Selenicë, Maliq, Këlcyrë, Memaliaj, Libohovë, Cërrik, Belsh and Prrenjas.
The Democratic MP noted that Fier County is represented by 16 MPs in the 140-seat Parliament.
According to him, if all 16 MPs from the county publicly express their support for residents, oppose the dissolution of Patos and Divjakë, and confirm that they will vote against the proposal, as all opposition MPs have pledged to do, the issue would be resolved immediately.
Baçi stressed that lawmakers must fulfill the responsibility entrusted to them by voters by representing them in Parliament and voting in accordance with their wishes.
He claimed that residents of Patos and Divjakë are unanimous—including Democrats, Socialists, supporters of other parties and citizens with no political affiliation—that the two municipalities should not cease to exist.
In his statement, the MP specifically addressed the 12 Socialist Party representatives from Fier County. He called on them to state publicly whether they agree that Patos should be merged with the Municipality of Fier and Divjakë incorporated into the Municipality of Lushnjë.
According to Baçi, whatever their position, the Socialist MPs should support it with facts. If they back the merger, they should explain why Patos and Divjakë should be dissolved; if they oppose it, they should present their arguments for retaining them as separate municipalities.
He said Socialists made up an overwhelming majority of those taking part in the protest against the Socialist Party’s proposal. Baçi added that he had not heard a single Socialist voice support for dissolving the two Fier County municipalities.
For this reason, he asked the 12 Socialist Party MPs whether they would side with the Socialists who voted for them and want the municipalities of Patos and Divjakë to continue to exist, or with what he described as the absurd decisions of a corrupt leadership.
Baçi said he wanted to believe that the Socialist lawmakers support their voters and party members. If so, he said, they should assure citizens that their vote in Parliament will favor their constituents and not, as he put it, support government corruption.
The statement also mentioned Belinda Balluku, whom Baçi called the Socialists’ “all-powerful figure” and a “defendant before the justice system.” He claimed that she is protected by the parliamentary majority’s votes and is not being handed over to justice.
The Democratic MP recalled that, during a joint consultation with county residents in Fier, Balluku had spoken on behalf of the Socialist MPs and assured voters that Fier County had six municipalities and would continue to have six. Under that pledge, neither Patos nor Divjakë would disappear, but would retain their status as municipalities.
Baçi asked what had changed since that statement and why the Socialist Party MPs were now remaining silent. He described their position as “neither one thing nor the other,” saying such behavior did them no credit.
In conclusion, the Democratic Party lawmaker stressed that Patos and Divjakë have not yet been dissolved and that their future depends on the 12 votes of Fier County’s Socialist MPs in Parliament.
He called on them to declare that they would vote in favor of residents and voters, warning that otherwise, in his view, they should stop lying to and deceiving them as they have always done.
