Following Protests, Elbasan Opens Public Consultation on New Territorial Map

Protests held in several municipalities in Elbasan County against the proposed new Administrative-Territorial Reform have been followed by the official launch of consultations with residents.

The first reaction came in Prrenjas, where hundreds of residents opposed the plan to merge the municipality with Librazhd. Protests and objections were subsequently also recorded in Belsh and Cërrik, whose residents oppose the inclusion of their municipalities in the Municipality of Elbasan.

Meanwhile, local institutions have begun public consultation procedures after receiving Parliament’s documentation regarding the draft law on Administrative-Territorial Reform.

The Municipality of Cërrik has announced the launch of a consultation process that will last 60 days. According to the official announcement, the process was opened following letter no. 3573, dated July 31, 2026, from the Albanian Parliament, which was received by the municipality on August 3.

The mayor of Cërrik has called on residents to take part in the process, emphasizing the importance of public information and discussion without turning the issue into a political confrontation.

“This is not a consultation about the fate of a mayor. It is a consultation about the future of our community,” the message addressed to residents stated.

The municipality announced that consultation meetings will be held in the city of Cërrik and in all administrative units in the coming days. The dates and venues of these meetings will be published at a later date.

Elbasan County currently has seven municipalities, while the new proposal envisages reducing their number to four. Under the proposal, Prrenjas will merge with Librazhd, while Cërrik and Belsh will join the Municipality of Elbasan.