Socialist Party MP Erion Braçe has responded to accusations and critical comments posted on social media regarding the handling of the massive fire in Krujë.
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Braçe said the blaze 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 blaze was carried out by local firefighters and Armed Forces personnel. All available resources were deployed in the operation, including ground equipment, helicopters and drones.
The Socialist MP stressed that there were no casualties and no homes were damaged. However, according to him, the environmental impact is severe, as considerable areas of vegetation and trees were burned.
In his response, Braçe addressed commenters who had asked why he was talking about Krujë and whether he was trying to present himself as an opposition figure, as well as those who had told him to look at how clean Krujë was that day.
He also mentioned the claim that the fire would have been extinguished immediately with €4.2 million, describing this stance as “Instagram cynicism over the Krujë fire.”
Listing the facts according to his version of events, Braçe reiterated that the fire was 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 extinguish the flames completely.
According to the MP, the toll was zero injuries, with all residents safe and well, as well as zero damage to homes, since not a single house burned down.
On the other hand, Braçe acknowledged that the damage to trees and vegetation is extensive. He noted that air quality in Krujë is poor and that high temperatures are further aggravating the situation.
The MP said he accepts all criticism when it comes to fires, but not, as he put it, “stupidity, cynicism and malice.”
Referring to a popular saying, Braçe stressed that fires must not be started because, once ignited, they become 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 it had been experiencing nothing but fires for more than a month, while a day earlier, at the same time as the incident in Krujë, 20,000 people were being evacuated, despite the country having many aircraft.
Braçe said that if even a single firefighter or fire engine had been absent in Krujë, everything posted online would have been justified. However, according to him, harsh words should be avoided when everyone was 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 from March 30 to October 30.
The second issue concerns firefighters. Braçe recalled that two weeks earlier, the government awarded an additional month’s salary to employees involved in firefighting operations, a decision he viewed positively.
However, he called for two problems to be resolved: establishing a fair balance between firefighters’ income, the property they save and the hazardous nature of their work, as well as immediately guaranteeing their food allowance.
