The big national program for urban transforming of the cities throughout the country was launched today. The program, which will extend to 70 cities, started with the project for the reconstruction of one of the squares of the city center of Korca, the Theatre Square. The project was presented by the mayor of Korça Sotiraq Filo in the presence of Prime Minister Edi Rama and Deputy PM Niko Peleshi.

The project has been designed by a German studio and besides a full reconstruction of existing elements of the square, such as infrastructure and facades, it will add new elements such as a fountain, a skating rink and an obelisk.

“I would like to thank the Prime Minister for financing this project. This is a very important project, which has received a funding of approximately 240 million Leke. These are two important investments that, together with the park, are worth 5 million Dollars financed by the Albanian government. This figure is 5 times higher compared to the financing this city has received in the last seven years. Our challenge now is to properly implement the project, which I believe we will do.” – the Mayor said.

Deputy PM Peleshi said that the reconstruction marks the conclusion of a project started many years ago, for the modernization of the city center of Korça.

Besides the reconstruction of the Theatre square, there will be also a promenade area that will give more charm to the city of Korça. I would like to thank the municipality of Korça for the quality work done in this project, Mr. Peleshi continued, pointing out that the investments to be implemented for the urban transformation of the cities are equal to the investments of the last 20 years.

“This is not the only project of the municipality of Korça, and the municipality of Korça is not the only beneficiary. There will be investments equal to the investments of the last 20 years in this city and in many other cities throughout Albania. They are more than 70, and together with the Prime Ministers, we will have the pleasure to be there. This program will transform our cities in 2 to 3 years. Korça definitely deserves to be an important part of this project thanks to which many main Albanian cities will be affected by the urban renaissance” – the Deputy PM concluded.

The Prime Minister said that Korça is the starting point of a sustainable urban development of the country, and at the same time the city that kept the promise for the urban renaissance of Albania.

“We are here to attend the launch of a major national project, which extends to approximately 70 urban areas of the country. A project dedicated to the major communities of the country that have been abandoned for a very long time. We are here also to keep one of our important commitments, which is to do for this communities and urban areas what has not been done in 20 years. Starting here in Korca, a sustainable model of a sustainable urban development, with the only funding this year we practically overcome a long funding period, of many years that left in oblivion this city with a beautiful story and a beautiful legacy, which could survive thanks to the power of the idea and the perseverance of the mayor.

We are determined to bring within this mandate to the country’s cities that large urban renaissance that has been missing for years and to transform these abandoned communist sites into community spaces, the same as many European cities. Roads and urban infrastructure will give to our city the great light of hope they need to stimulate more employment, stimulate the participation of youth in the city life​​, to stimulate even more new families to stay in these cities that are aging because for years the government of Tirana did not turn its attention to them, but instead forgot them and distributed the money into road segments that either do not exist anymore because of the poor quality of work, or have been used very little.”

The Prime Minister said that this investment is only the beginning of a chain of investments not only for Korça, but for the entire country.

“Since we are here in Korça, I would like to say to the media present today that this is only the beginning of a chain of investments. Tomorrow morning we will see together the final project for the transformation of the old Bazaar of Korça, and I guarantee you that from an isle of destruction and abandonment, we will transform this area into an isle of tourism for the whole region, taking into account not only Korça and Albania, but also the neighbor countries. It will not be just the beer festival that will gather tourist in Korça, but it will be an isle that will bring tourist throughout the year. This seems to be a beautiful dream that soon will become a beautiful reality of a big urban transformation which will include Korça and the whole Albania” – the Prime Minister said.