Opposition in Poliçan, Prrenjas and Klos / Agron Gjekmarkaj: Dissatisfaction with the Government Is Widespread, Albania Is Heading Toward Crisis

Agron Gjekmarkaj, a Democratic Party MP and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, has reacted to the debate over the new territorial reform, saying that the opposition voiced in Poliçan, Klos, Divjakë and Prrenjas cannot be considered isolated cases.

According to Gjekmarkaj, the plan to reorganize the municipalities and eliminate 15 of them could have serious institutional and social consequences for the country. He warned that if the government does not take citizens’ concerns into account, protests will remain the only alternative.

Full reaction

Protest remains the way to oppose the territorial reform!

What the Socialist Party calls territorial reform should not be limited to changing boundaries on a map. According to him, a genuine process is needed, one oriented toward citizens’ interests and the strengthening of local democracy.

The purpose of local government should be to bring institutions closer to citizens, not to create a greater distance between them. Any revision of the administrative map must be based on representation, quality public services and the development of communities, rather than short-term interests or electoral calculations. The reforms of the Socialist Party and Edi Rama leave the majority of Albanians without representation, as they are based on tricks rather than development!

The fact that opposition has been raised in Poliçan, Klos, Divjakë, Prrenjas and other municipalities shows residents’ concerns about losing their voice and institutional identity. This situation, Gjekmarkaj emphasizes, does not represent isolated dissatisfaction, but a debate that affects the organization of the state itself.

Albania is characterized by a distinctive cultural anthropology, in which regional identity, history, traditions and ties to one’s birthplace continue to be of great importance. For this reason, the country needs functional local units that are close to citizens and capable of responding to their needs, rather than increasingly larger municipalities that could weaken representation. The model proposed by the Democratic Party is closer to this reality!

A territorial reform cannot be assessed merely by counting municipalities. Its success must be measured by ensuring local democracy, citizen participation and balanced development. Otherwise, larger administrative structures may be created while citizens become increasingly removed from decision-making, increasing the risk of abuse, corruption and anarchy!

Albania does not need a reform dictated by electoral interests, but a process that respects the history, identity and right of communities to representation. Local democracy is strengthened when power is brought closer to the people, not when it is concentrated in larger structures. This should be the main principle of any serious territorial reform. This reform is pushing Albania toward crisis and leaves protest as the only solution!