Opposition to the plan to merge municipalities has also included Memaliaj. Following an appeal urging citizens to take part in the announced protest, Mayor Albert Malaj said he would support their cause.

In a statement on social media, Malaj, the only Democratic mayor in the south of the country, argued that Memaliaj ranks as the second-largest municipality in Gjirokastër County both in terms of population and area and, therefore, should not be dissolved.

He criticized the way the new territorial reform is being carried out, stating that the process has not been transparent and that no public hearings have been organized with the residents of the 53 villages that make up the municipality.

“I have presented all the arguments showing that such a decision leads to the loss of our identity, traditions and culture, slows the pace of economic development, further fuels depopulation and runs counter to the spirit of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, at a time when Albania is seeking membership in the European Union,” Malaj declared.

According to him, the decision to merge Memaliaj with the Municipality of Tepelenë has crossed every limit in its treatment of residents. The mayor also addressed several questions to the Territorial Reform Commission, which considers the Municipality of Memaliaj a burden on the budget.

“To the commission that sees the Municipality of Memaliaj as a burden on the budget, I want to ask one question: what are Albanians’ taxes for? Are they for AKSHI, for tunnels that cost tens of millions of euros more than projected, for luxury concerts or for charter payments?” he said.

The mayor of Memaliaj said that such decisions do not serve to build a community’s future, but merely remove from the map what, in his view, they have not known how to develop.

The post “Rama is erasing what he failed to develop,” Memaliaj mayor says: They called us a burden on the budget, the money is needed for AKSHI appeared first on Albeu.com.

Jola Hysaj has spoken publicly following her appointment as head of the National Tourism Agency, confirming that she has accepted the position and responding to the many comments and questions she says she has received on social media. In a message posted on social media, Hysaj expressed gratitude for the trust placed in her and said she intends to justify it through her work. “Yes, I have been appointed director of the National Tourism Agency. I am very grateful for the trust placed in me, and I hope to fully justify it,” she wrote.

The former Democratic Party secretary for public relations also confirmed that she had met Prime Minister Edi Rama, revealing the message she said she received from him. “Yes, I met Edi Rama. The words that stuck with me were: ‘I do not want you to become a socialist; I want you to take the institution built by Zana Çela to greater heights,’” Hysaj wrote.

She clarified that her political convictions have not changed but stressed that she is no longer part of the Democratic Party. “Yes, I am a democrat, but I am not with the Democratic Party. I am with the party of tourism-focused Albania,” she said. At the end of her statement, Hysaj called on her followers to respect her decision to lead an institution in a field in which she says she has years of experience.

STATEMENT

Hello, since I have received many questions on WhatsApp from friends, here is my response.

Yes, I have been appointed director of the National Tourism Agency. I am very grateful for the trust placed in me, and I hope to fully justify it.

Yes, I met Edi Rama. The words that stuck with me were: I do not want you to become a socialist; I want you to take the institution built by Zana Çela to greater heights.

Yes, I am a democrat, but I am not with the Democratic Party. I am with the party of tourism-focused Albania.

I hope you will respect my freedom and my decision to take on a new job in a sector in which I have worked for many years.

Everyone is free to speculate and spin conspiracy theories. But those who know me know that I do not mince my words.

That is all I had to say. I thank anyone who wishes me success in my work! As for anyone who wants to insult and curse me, they have my sympathy.

The post Jola Hysaj Speaks After Being Appointed Head of the National Tourism Agency: I Am a Democrat, but Not with the Democratic Party. What Stuck with Me from My Meeting with Rama appeared first on Albeu.com.

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.

The post “No Municipality or City Will Disappear” / Territorial Reform, Socialist Party: Municipalities Included in the Process Will Retain Their Name, Identity and Urban Center appeared first on Albeu.com.

On Friday, an expanded meeting of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group and the government cabinet will be held at the Palace of Brigades, and the agenda for the meeting has now been made public.

According to the program sent to MPs, the meeting will be opened by Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi. He will present an overview of the work carried out in leading Parliament, the use of technology in the institution’s activities, and plans for the new parliamentary building.

He will be followed by the head of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group, Taulant Balla, who will report on the group’s activities during this parliamentary session. The focus will be on MPs’ participation in both parliamentary committees and plenary sessions.

The meeting will conclude with closing remarks by Prime Minister Edi Rama.

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