Ina Zhupa, a Democratic Party MP and political leader for the Saranda district, has opposed the Saranda Municipal Council’s decision to use the rear section of the courtyard at “Hasan Tahsini” High School as a public parking lot. She called the decision a scandal and a threat to students’ safety.
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Zhupa said that for years, the community, teachers and students have been calling for the area to be turned into a sports and recreational space.
According to her, European standards aim to expand green spaces and reduce vehicle traffic near educational institutions.
While acknowledging that Saranda needs public parking lots, the MP called on the municipality to abandon the project. She stressed that the parking problem should not be solved at the expense of school grounds and children’s safety.
Ina Zhupa’s full response:
According to Zhupa, the Saranda Municipality’s scandal lies in its plan to turn the courtyard of “Hasan Tahsini” High School into a public parking lot.
She said that the community, teachers and students have long called for the space at the rear of the “Hasan Tahsini” High School courtyard to be used for sports and recreational facilities serving young people. According to her, such an initiative would constitute an investment in the education, health and well-being of the younger generation. However, after the property was transferred to the Saranda Municipality, the Socialists on the Saranda Municipal Council voted to repurpose the courtyard for vehicle parking.
Zhupa emphasized that school planning criteria call for the opposite: fewer vehicles near educational buildings and more safe, green and sports areas for students. According to her, municipalities that act responsibly establish protected perimeters around schools, restrict vehicle traffic and fund spaces that promote physical activity and social interaction instead of increasing traffic.
According to the MP, a public parking lot near the high school would lead to more vehicles entering and leaving, greater risks to students, more noise and air pollution, and less dignified conditions for an educational institution. She stressed that the school courtyard cannot be treated as spare land to compensate for the Saranda Municipality’s lack of vision.
Zhupa said that Saranda undoubtedly needs public parking lots and that this demand has been raised repeatedly, as the shortage is the result of inadequate urban planning. However, according to her, parking lots should be built in areas specifically designated for that purpose and on the basis of a serious urban development plan. She added that when vision is lacking, schools are the ones sacrificed.
According to the MP, a European city cannot be built by giving up school spaces. On the contrary, the European cities that Saranda claims it wants to resemble invest in providing schools with more greenery, sports facilities and security.
In conclusion, Zhupa called for the cancellation of the project, which she described as shameful, and for an end to the undermining of safety and standards for the high school’s students.
