The irrigation and drainage program, the National Guarantee Fund, the titles of ownership of agricultural land, are the biggest incentives of the government for the recovery of the countryside and agriculture. Prime Minister Edi Rama talked with farmers in Vajkal Fier.
“Irrigation and drainage is the most basic requirement for the normal development of agriculture, but it has been neglected for over two decades”, the Prime Minister noted. The irrigation and drainage program is a priority project that will impact the next agricultural season.
“We have done a huge job in relation to the opportunities and in relation to the past. By June of next year we will bring water to each plot, and will increase the irrigated area to 225 thousand hectares”, the Prime Minister said, in addition to assuring that the administrative and territorial reform has created more solid municipalities with more realistic capacities to advance with the already started process of ownership titles.
The National Guarantee Fund provides an alternative funding line to farmers, but in order to benefit from it, the Prime Minister encouraged farmers that with the support of the municipalities they develop clear and serious investment projects in manufacturing or agro-processing.
“We have created a fund with the money of the government, the National Guarantee Fund for agriculture. The role of this fund is to provide loans to farmers and reduce interests at maximum. We have created a very simple procedure that does not oblige farmers to go to banks, but the whole intermediate process is carried out by us. There are approximately 300 million Euros that we could potentially absorb in this process. It is an extraordinary figure. However, if we are not active and do not do our job, our duty as farmers and as government, they remain there and we cannot take them, because we should have well-written projects and compelling applications for banks. The government provides the guarantee, so you don’t have to put as a guarantee your house or pay money from your pockets. This fund is not only for the large business, but also for those who want to expand their business. So, the idea is to transform farming families into small business. It is crucial that the Municipality enters this process and helps you to write the project, in order to do all the rest. There are great opportunities in terms of both greenhouses, collection points and small and big processing lines, conservation lines, etc. All it takes is the right project that must be explained well. The Guarantee Fund is a practice that will help people understand that the money is there, but they don’t have to wait for the government to take it to their homes, so that they can use it to benefit from gas subvention, fill up their “Mercedes” and go to Tirana. In such terms, neither the bank nor the European Union will give you any money”.
The Prime Minister noted that the number of collection points in the past three years has increased thanks to the supporting schemes to the agro-processing. The most recent is the collection point, the largest in volume, which is being built in Lushnje. The Guarantee Fund, the Prime Minister continued, is a new opportunity to invest in setting up collection points, inviting farmers to unite and seek funding based on a clear project.
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Thanks to a government’s investment through the Regional Development Fund, the street “Mujo Ulqinaku” in Fier, one of the main arteries of the city, has undergone a thorough reconstruction and is expected to be completed soon.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Mayor of Fier Armando Subashi, inspected the progress of the works for this road which will give the city additional breathing.
The works carried out currently are the rehabilitation of the facades and the setting of the urban décor elements, which will give another dimension to this road. This is the first time that the road infrastructure has been combined with a new urban concept and contemporary urban decor, making this investment a model of European standards, which will be for Fier a model to be implemented in future investments in the city.
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Another school in Fier, the primary school “Andon Xoxa”, is one of the educational institutions that has been revived. The school was “lost” among numerous buildings, and was lacking open spaces and sports fields. Now that the spaces occupied by perennial constructions have been liberated, the school have available playgrounds not only for its 1050 students, but also for the community. Following a 33-million ALL investment, the school building has been thoroughly reconstructed, with outdoor premises being recovered, the courtyard rearranged, the green area increased, and the lighting system restored.
This school has become a model of successful school-family-community partnership, transforming the concept of the school not only as a teaching institution but also as a community centre where interaction with families and the community is provided.
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Prime Minister Edi Rama had a conversation with high school graduates in Fier during his visit to the school “Janaq Kilica”, which was recently thoroughly renovated. The Prime Minister assured the graduates that the new application system for university studies guarantees the recognition of the merit and of the efforts made during the school years.
“The State Matura has given the best students the opportunity to have their merit recognized. Also, the new enrolment system at university is a full guarantee that every has their fate in their own hands, and nobody can determine it, either acquaintances, the party or money. The system is such that makes it impossible any interference of other factors in a process where merit is assessed electronically based on the results”, the Prime Minister said.
The registration system in high school is complemented with the secondary education reform, which removes the obligation of students to determine the elective subjects since the first year. This will enable them to be more explicit in their desire and trends, before making a choice.
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The city entrance of Roskovec has already a new look. The urban requalification has been made along the road, including lighting, vegetation, drainage system, as well as all road safety parameters. This gives a whole new look to a city where investments have missed for many years. Prime Minister Edi Rama inspected works that are still continuing. Works of art are also part of the city entrance.
The new ring of Roskovec is another important infrastructure investment, worth approximately 87 million ALL, the construction of which will provide the local community additional communication space, in addition to significantly easing the traffic flow.
The road is shaped as a ring and starts from the national road Fier – Roskovec – Berat, running through farmlands, crosses the road of Kurjan and reconnects with the national road.
The construction of the ring has a direct impact on the lives of local residents and private activities, since it eases the traffic flow. The project provides for the road width to be such that it allows parking at least on one side.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by Mayor of Roskovec Majlinda Bufi and local MPs, inspected the progress of works for the ring, which will now be part of the inter-urban national road Fier- Berat.
“This is an investment that the residents of Roskovec have always needed. It is the first time that Roskovec has a ring, and I believe that it will solve the traffic problem in the city”, Mayor Bufi said.
