Objections in Durrës Over Paid Parking, Citizens Protest New Fees

A protest by citizens took place in central Durrës, joined by the local branch of the Democratic Party, against the decision of the Municipality of Durrës to implement paid parking on several streets and in public spaces across the city.

Participants in the protest openly opposed the new fees, stressing that they represent an additional economic burden on citizens.

The protesters also raised concerns that the municipality had not consulted them before putting this project into effect. They called for greater clarity and transparency on how the new parking system will operate, saying there is still uncertainty over its monitoring, payment process and practical implementation.

The decision to introduce paid parking was approved by the Durrës Municipal Council two years ago, but its implementation had been delayed until now. With the start of the installation of blue horizontal road markings on the city’s streets, it now appears that the project has entered the final phase of implementation.

Under the scheme approved by the municipality, the territory of Durrës will be divided into two pricing zones. Zone A will include the city center and roads with high commercial activity, where parking will cost 100 lek per hour. This zone includes streets such as “Taulantia” and “Currilat”, as well as the “Epidamn” and “Dyrrah” boulevards.

Zone B, meanwhile, will include streets such as “Aleksandër Goga”, “Mujo Ulqinaku”, “Stefan Kaçulini” and other outlying roads, where the fee will be 40 lek per hour.

According to the Municipality of Durrës plan, paid parking will be enforced from Monday to Friday. During the tourist season, from June 1 to September 30, the fees will apply from 08:00 to 20:00, while during the rest of the year they will be in effect from 08:00 to 18:00.