Socialist Party MP Erion Braçe has responded to accusations and critical comments posted on social media concerning the management of the massive fire in Krujë.
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Braçe said the fire was started by a resident who has since been arrested. According to him, high temperatures and wind contributed to the fire’s spread.
He said the operation to fully extinguish the fire was carried out by local firefighters and members of the Armed Forces. All available equipment was deployed, including ground-based equipment, helicopters and drones.
The Socialist MP stressed that there were neither casualties nor damaged homes. However, he said the environmental consequences were significant, as considerable areas of vegetation and trees had burned.
In his response, Braçe addressed commenters who had asked why he was speaking about Krujë and whether he was trying to present himself as an opposition figure, as well as those who had asked him to see how clean Krujë was that day.
He also referred to the claim that the fire would have been extinguished immediately with €4.2 million, describing this position as “Instagram cynicism over the Krujë fire.”
Listing the facts according to his account, Braçe reiterated that the fire had been started by a resident who was arrested, while the wind and heat helped it spread. He added that the intervention by local firefighters and the Armed Forces, using every available resource, made it possible to fully extinguish the flames.
According to the MP, the outcome was zero people injured, with all residents safe and well, and zero damage to homes, as no house was burned.
On the other hand, Braçe acknowledged that the damage to trees and vegetation was extensive. He noted that air quality in Krujë was not good and that high temperatures were making the situation worse.
The MP said he accepted all criticism when it came to fires, but not, as he put it, “stupidity, cynicism and malice.”
Referring to a popular saying, Braçe stressed that a fire should not be started because, once ignited, it becomes extremely difficult to control.
According to him, this applies not only to Albania but also to Greece, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Canada. Regarding the latter, he said that for more than a month it had experienced nothing but fires, while the previous day, at the same time as the incident in Krujë, 20,000 people were being evacuated, even though the country has many aircraft.
Braçe said that if even one male or female firefighter had been absent in Krujë, everything published online would have been justified. But, he argued, harsh words should be avoided when everyone had been working.
At the end of his response, he raised two issues. The first concerns enforcement of the law, which prohibits lighting fires for any reason during the period from March 30 to October 30.
The second issue concerns firefighters. Braçe recalled that two weeks earlier the government had granted a bonus payment to employees involved in firefighting operations, a decision he praised.
However, he called for two problems to be resolved: establishing a fair balance between firefighters’ incomes, the assets they save and the risks of their work, as well as immediately guaranteeing their food allowance.
