Zhupa Challenges Gonxhja Over Saranda: Residents Face Water Shortages, Traffic, Waste and Failing Services

Ina Zhupa, chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Tourism, Culture and the Diaspora, has responded following Minister Blendi Gonxhja’s visit to Saranda, rejecting his claims that the city is “well managed.”

The Democratic Party MP listed a series of difficulties that she says affect residents and visitors every day. These include inadequate water supplies, chaotic traffic, a lack of parking spaces, problems with the new terminal, waste management and the quality of bathing water.

Zhupa described the government’s approach as “superficial management,” stressing that Saranda needs functioning services, infrastructure, cleanliness, a 24-hour drinking water supply, and the protection and promotion of its cultural heritage—not propaganda.

In her full response, Ina Zhupa asked where the “well-managed” Saranda described by Gonxhja could be found.

According to her, Saranda’s residents would also like to see this “good management,” while tourists would like to experience it firsthand instead of merely hearing about it through propaganda speeches.

She said that claiming the city is well managed in the face of the current situation not only shows a disconnect from reality but also amounts to mocking residents and spreading political propaganda.

Addressing the issues one by one, Zhupa began with the water supply.

She described the situation as one of the worst in recent years. According to the MP, the “best-case” scenario is for water to be supplied once every two days, while entire neighborhoods remain without water for days and weeks. Zhupa stressed that, for one of the country’s most important tourist cities, this situation cannot be called good management but rather the failure of a basic service.

Another problem she raised was traffic. According to Zhupa, traveling by car in Saranda during the tourist season has become an impossible task. Construction continues to increase along existing roads, while serious planning for traffic, public transportation and infrastructure is lacking, creating a complete mess.

Regarding parking, she said that the number of spaces is practically zero compared with the city’s needs. At the height of the tourist season, both residents and tourists are forced to fight for a parking space.

Zhupa also raised questions about the new terminal. According to her, instead of providing an integrated transportation solution, the investment has confronted residents with even greater traffic chaos. She argued that simply building a terminal is not enough for it to be considered a success, as the outcome must be assessed based on whether the problem has been solved or made worse.

Her response also mentioned the waste situation. Zhupa spoke of uncleaned streets and stairways, garbage piling up in corners and scenes that seriously damage Saranda’s image, particularly at the height of the tourist season.

Regarding the beaches and water quality, the MP referred to the European Environment Agency’s latest report on bathing water for 2025. According to her, the document shows that Albania ranks last, with Saranda specifically cited as a negative example.

Zhupa also addressed cultural heritage, noting that Butrint has been granted under concession. Meanwhile, she said, many other cultural heritage sites remain little known, lack sufficient guides, are difficult to access via deteriorated roads and face a range of problems requiring solutions.

She said this approach does not amount to a strategy for turning Saranda into a sustainable cultural destination but is merely “superficial management.”

According to Zhupa, the city needs a 24-hour water supply, properly managed roads and traffic, parking spaces, cleanliness, clean waters, functioning transportation, and cultural heritage that is protected and promoted.

The MP stressed that these should be the criteria for assessing governance, rather than what she called Gonxhja’s “imaginary good management.”

In conclusion, Zhupa said that where Gonxhja now sees “good management,” residents see chaos, accusing the government of having lost touch with reality.