“No Municipality or City Will Disappear” / Territorial Reform, Socialist Party: Municipalities Included in the Process Will Retain Their Name, Identity and Urban Center

In an official statement issued today, the Socialist Party clarified the controversy sparked by recent reports that 15 municipalities would be merged, reducing the total number nationwide to 46.

The Socialist Party headquarters and the Territorial Reform group said the process would not affect urban centers, municipalities or their names.

However, it acknowledged that they would no longer have mayors. Instead, they would have deputy mayors and representation on municipal councils, while becoming part of larger neighboring municipalities.

“The municipalities included in this process will retain their name, identity and urban center. They will become part of a new administrative structure through mergers with neighboring municipalities, while continuing to hold the status of constituent cities within the new local government unit. Every center affected by this process will continue to have institutional representation through its respective deputy mayor and representation on the municipal council, as well as a defined role in local planning, the organization of services and the administration of community affairs,” the Socialist Party’s statement emphasized.

Finally, it stressed that the process aims to create a more efficient organization of local government while preserving citizens’ identity, history and direct connection with the area in which they live.

Socialist Party statement:

“Hello. A clarification and additional information regarding the reports circulating in the media about the Administrative-Territorial Reform process.

Territorial consolidation will not lead to the ‘disappearance’ of any municipality or city.

The municipalities included in this process will retain their name, identity and urban center. They will become part of a new administrative structure through mergers with neighboring municipalities, while continuing to hold the status of constituent cities within the new local government unit.

Every center affected by this process will continue to have institutional representation through its respective deputy mayor and representation on the municipal council, as well as a defined role in local planning, the organization of services and the administration of community affairs.

This process aims to create a more efficient organization of local government while preserving citizens’ identity, history and direct connection with the area in which they live.”

What the Territorial Reform Envisages

Members of the Socialist Party parliamentary group who sit on the Special Parliamentary Committee on Administrative-Territorial Reform have submitted the Administrative-Territorial Reform proposal to Parliament.

Under the draft law, Albania will have 46 municipalities, 71 cities and 387 administrative units. The number of counties will remain 12. The country is currently organized into 61 municipalities and 12 counties.

The municipalities to be merged are Fushë-Arrëz, Klos, Rrogozhinë, Dimal, Poliçan, Patos, Divjakë, Selenicë, Maliq, Këlcyrë, Memaliaj, Libohovë, Cërrik, Belsh and Përrenjas.

The draft law stipulates that the municipality will remain the basic unit of local government and will consist of cities, which will have a special legal status regulated by the law on the organization and functioning of local government.

The Division

Cities will consist of administrative units and/or villages, while the organization and representation of municipalities will be based on the principle of proportional representation of their constituent cities according to their population.

Article 2 of the draft law stipulates that the name, territorial extent, boundaries, center and administrative units of each municipality will be defined in the maps and tables attached to the law, which form an integral part of it.

The draft law also provides that municipal councils will have the right to change the names, territorial extent and boundaries of their constituent administrative units and subdivisions according to community needs and administrative efficiency.