Debate and accusations in the Committee, Zhupa attacks the majority: Laws were passed to order for 523 projects in protected areas

The meeting of the Committee on Culture, Tourism and the Diaspora took place in a tense atmosphere. During the debate, chairwoman Ina Zhupa accused the majority of “legislative corruption,” saying it had prepared a legal package for construction in protected areas.

Referring to “The Albanian Files,” Zhupa declared that the legal changes were made specifically to fit 523 projects.

“You know very well that this parliament made laws after Edi Rama published the book. The Albanian file, which envisaged construction in protected areas without changing the law, and in order to adapt to those investments that Edi Rama had guaranteed, you put together a legal package that was tailored to 523 projects, which without this legal package would have been impossible to carry out. This is the peak of the highest level of corruption; it is called legislative corruption, laws made to order,” Zhupa said.

Her words prompted a reaction from majority deputies, who asked for the discussion to return to the issues on the agenda. During the meeting, Socialist Party MP Bujar Rexha left the hall.

Zhupa then also focused on the protest that has been taking place in front of the prime minister’s office for 29 days, saying it had sent the government the message that “its end has come.” After this, she presented three proposals, while regarding secretary Arkend Balla’s objection to putting them to a vote, she said that “they are afraid of the truth.”

Ina Zhupa: The 523 projects are making Albania unlivable, driving Albanians out, destroying every protected area and handing Albania over to friends and oligarchs to be used by the wealthy Albanian and global elites. That is who you are and what you believe. But that protest, in fact, said the most important thing. The most important thing about that protest is that your end has come, and truly your end has come.

Arkend Balla: Your end has come, because your causes have been taken away from you!

Ina Zhupa: I have three suggestions at the end of the procedure. First, monitoring visits to natural heritage sites which today are proving problematic, so that we can all see together what the real situation is, because it is in everyone’s shared interest for it to be good.

Arkend Balla: No one will vote for these proposals.

Ina Zhupa: Don’t vote for them, because you are afraid of the truth.