Cadastre responds to Vangjel Dule over Himara: “Accusations do not protect properties, only facts and the law do

The Director General of the State Cadastre Agency, Lorena Goxhobelli, has spoken publicly following the statements made by MP Vangjel Dule in Parliament regarding the treatment of homes without ownership documentation in Himara. According to her, the MP’s claims do not correspond to reality, while fieldwork aims to solve citizens’ property problems, always within the framework of the law.

MP Dule had declared during the parliamentary session of October 8, 2026 – the day of the Territorial Reform vote – that in the “Kala” neighborhood of the Municipality of Himara, state and municipal services refuse to register buildings constructed before the 1990s, on the grounds that they are UNESCO restructuring objects.

“I would like to close with another issue that has emerged in recent days, which has the spirit of robbery that you have turned into politics in every aspect of life. In the Municipality of Himara, in the Kala neighborhood, the state and municipal services dealing with the registration of buildings built before the 1990s do not register those buildings located in the Kala neighborhood that are roofless, under the pretense that they are restructuring objects of UNESCO. But what does ownership have to do with whether UNESCO or another institution will finance their reconstruction according to the rules required for a building declared a monument? Ownership is ownership, but with these tactics the intention of seizing property in the most coveted area of the city of Himara is hidden. And even more so, the other policy, where it is found that real owners are currently missing, your partisan authorities, patronage agents, are placed, who are designated as property processors and the property is registered in their name. These are intentions that you carry out sometimes in the Municipality of Himara and sometimes in other municipalities, but which you want to turn into a general policy throughout the republic. Therefore, you will have us against you,” Dule had said.

Through a video message published on social media, Goxhobelli clarified that the accusations of deliberate blocking of home registration in the “Kala” neighborhood and of an alleged property robbery scheme do not at all reflect the reality of the work in the field.

“The Cadastre has no intention of taking anyone’s property. It has only one task: to help citizens solve their property problems, in accordance with the law,” she stated, inviting MP Dule to present facts and confront his claims directly with the institution.

The ASHK director explains that thanks to the new “door-to-door Cadastre” approach, teams of specialists approach residents to address property documentation issues, whether for homes built without permits after 1991, or for older buildings, including those affected by the passage of time.

She emphasizes that the entire process is based on citizens’ own declarations, field verifications, and the procedures provided by law. A false declaration carries legal responsibility, while cases are handled without privileges, exemptions, or political distinctions.

Another aspect highlighted by Goxhobelli is transparency: after work is completed in each village, the data is uploaded to the Cadastre’s online platform, where every citizen can verify the status of their file – whether it is in public display, whether required documentation is missing, or whether the team was unable to enter the home.

Residents have the opportunity to participate in the process for the entire time the Cadastre teams operate in the municipality, by communicating with ASHK specialists or by calling free of charge at the green number 08008811.

At the end of her response, Goxhobelli underlines that the protection of property rights is achieved with facts, transparency, and the application of the law, and that spreading unverified accusations can damage public trust and deny citizens the right to accurate information.

“Property rights are not protected with accusations and insinuations, but with facts, transparency, and the application of the law. Spreading falsehoods damages public trust and citizens’ right to be properly informed, especially when it comes from people of politics, law, or state institutions. In this case, the responsibility is even greater because their words carry weight and consequences. Disinformation from those who enjoy public trust and hold a kind of authority not only undermines facts, but also trust in institutions themselves,” concluded the Cadastre director.