Rrogozhinë Municipality employees boycott work and take to the streets in protest: We oppose the merger with Kavajë

This Monday, employees of Rrogozhinë Municipality boycotted work in protest against the Socialist Party’s draft proposal to dissolve the municipality and merge it with Kavajë Municipality.

At 9:00 a.m., the employees left their workplaces in a demonstrative protest against the Socialists’ proposal, saying they feel betrayed by the PS leadership.

They are strongly calling for Rrogozhinë to remain a municipality in its own right, as it risks losing its identity.

“A great injustice is being done to Rrogozhinë Municipality. We meet all the criteria to remain a municipality, both in terms of human resources and finances. Today, we have one municipality with 43,000 residents who oppose the reform. Rrogozhinë Municipality was not created by the 2015 Reform; it has been a municipality for 35 years, and we oppose its merger with Kavajë. Arbjan Mazniku does not have accurate data on Rrogozhinë Municipality. According to the census, Rrogozhinë Municipality was rated as the best municipality, which is why we do not accept this reform,” one employee said.

Another employee appealed to Prime Minister Edi Rama, President Bajram Begaj and Arbjan Mazniku not to decide on the disappearance of Rrogozhinë.

“Regardless of the problems facing Rrogozhinë Municipality, this protest is being organized solely over the services provided to citizens by Rrogozhinë Municipality itself. Kavajë Municipality cannot fix Rrogozhinë Municipality. I call on the Prime Minister, the President of the Republic and the Territorial Reform Commission to carefully consider Rrogozhinë Municipality as an asset. They must respond and not destroy Rrogozhinë’s civic identity,” he said.

“As a municipality, we are achieving good things. We have Vilë Bashtovë Beach and Castle, as well as Spille Beach. We need investment from the government, not a merger with Kavajë. Who can guarantee that citizens will receive services from Kavajë? We do not agree to be dissolved as a municipality,” another protester said.