Shijak has been transformed into a huge construction site, with every residential neighbourhood wrecked in the devastating earthquake on November 26, 2019, is being rebuilt from scratch. With construction of new water supply and sewerage infrastructure now complete, work is underway to construct a residential complex featuring 31 residential buildings and 660 apartment homes, which not only will significantly change the lives of the quake-affected families, but also the town’s urban conditions.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Minister of State for Reconstruction Arben Ahmetaj and the Shijak Mayor Elton Arbana, visited the town of Shijak today.

“As we have already announced since the start of the post-earthquake reconstruction programme, Shijak will be transformed into a new urban centre,” Reconstruction Minister Ahmetaj said, highlighting that work on construction of residential buildings has progressed to an advanced phase. “The new complex includes 31 residential buildings with 660 apartments. The construction floor is estimated at around 79,000 square meters, including entire infrastructure and 280 underground and above-ground parking lots. Construction of largest part of residential buildings is scheduled to complete by fall, when the quake-affected families will be moving into new apartments,” Ahmetaj said. 

Work is underway in full swing. Shijak Mayor Arbana said that construction of walls is slated to kick off by end of May and construction of the entire residential complex will complete on schedule.

The state budget-funded investment worth $25 million for construction of new residential buildings doesn’t include urban infrastructure and other public buildings and facilities.

The government head then inspected the ongoing construction of 21 residential buildings in the so-called Lugina neighbourhood, one of the worst-hit areas. Construction of Shijak’s Multifunctional Centre, a cultural and entertainment centre, is slated to kick off here soon.

“The Multifunctional Centre will house the Palace of Culture, a conference hall and a cinema. Whole territory of Shijak has been transformed into a construction site, with projects including investments in building water supply and sewerage systems, urban infrastructure etc. Some 21 residential buildings are being constructed in Lugina neighbourhood, one of the areas worst-hit by the November 26 earthquake. Construction of 20 of them is already underway, whereas work to build the last one is set to being this week. More than 450 quake-affected families will be housed in this complex alone,” Mayor Arbana said, adding that around 49.800 square meters of construction floor are dedicated to housing, whereas 25.200 more square meters include community spaces.

Mayor Arbana said that “82% of the affected families will benefit new house with larger living spaces than the ones they lost in the earthquake in Shijak.”