The post-earthquake recovery efforts in the port city of Durres, the worst-hit area by a devastating earthquake on Nov 26 last year, are in full swing with work progressing rapidly to repair some damaged concrete and masonry wall of 94 buildings in the so-called beach area. The exterior repair works are nearing completion. Today, Prime Minister Edi Rama inspected the ongoing repair and reconstruction works on buildings in the beach area accompanied by the Minister of State for Reconstruction, Arben Ahemetaj, and the Mayor of Durres, Emiriana Sako. 

Durres Mayor Sako informed that “repair and reinforcement work on a total of 145 buildings in Durres has already completed, meaning that some 300 families have already moved into their own homes and have been removed from the rental bonus scheme.”

A total of 615 residential buildings in the municipality of Durres are undergoing restoration works, whereas residents are completing repair of their own apartments through a compensation grant of over four billion lek that the government has distributed to some 9700 quake-affected families.

“Without the government’s compensation grant, these families would have been forced to spend their own money in order to cover the repair and rebuilding costs,’ the government head said.  

The Reconstruction Minister noted that without the government’s compensation grant these families would have spent around $43 million to repair their homes.

While inspecting the communal premises, PM Rama was invited by residents to their already repaired apartments that are now stronger, safer and more beautiful than they used to be prior the earthquake last year.