Prime Minister Edi Rama at the weekly meeting with common citizens sharing their accounts on how through the help from the online platform Albania We Want they have solved various personal and community problems:
PM Edi Rama: Good afternoon!
Thank you very much for being here today each and every one of you who have had an experience with the co-governance platform and have accepted the invitation to share their experience with us, helping us at the same time to convey your personal experience to everyone else, who just like you need to find a quick and legal solution with state offices.
Juneta Duni, co-governance platform coordinator: Another case concerning Mr. Qamil Algjoni, a Kamez resident, has been recently addressed thanks to the collaboration with the co-governance platform. Mr. Algjoni had filed a complaint against the Power Distribution Operator (OSHEE), demanding for the relevant institutions to measure and verify the amount of electricity he had used during 2011, due a discrepancy between the amount of electricity billed by the power utility and the amount of electricity measured by the electric meter. The Power Distribution Operator undertook all necessary actions by carrying out the due verifications and deducted the flat rate bills for the period between 2011 and 2013 and the electricity bills in 2015, as well as the most recent electricity overbilling in 2019. The whole amount of the electricity about which Mr. Algjoni had been charged is estimated around 10, 000 kV, or around 110,00 lek.
Mr. Qamil Algjoni: Frankly speaking, I didn’t trust in this, yet I thought to give it a try. I have made consistently complaints with the Power Operator’s Customer Care to tackle the matter. I was really fed up after failing to address the matter. Ultimately, I asked my son to lodge a complaint with the Co-Governance with the Citizens Platform. I received a reply eight days later. On the 11th day, a team from the Power Distribution Operator verified the electric meter and the problem was finally solved. I would like to express my appreciation to the government and the co-governance coordinators here for their communication, conduct and swift actions to tackle this problem. If Albanian citizens were to know how it works, I am pretty sure the public administration employees and officials would really think twice before providing a response to an ordinary citizen about any problems he or she may face. This is the best way how ordinary citizens are empowered and have their say about the country’s governance and this is by directly addressing the government and receive an official reply within 10 days only. This is fantastic.
PM Edi Rama: Indeed, this is the Platform’s objective. Apart from the goal to tackle countless inherited problems and exert pressure through all these experiences on all public administration officials and those tasked with delivering public services, by making it clear that if a citizen has been forced to ask for the Platform’s help, he is the one who would always win. On the other hand, every public official or employee who fails or refuses to do his or her job, they become subject to an administrative investigation and face penalties. If we are to take stock of performance results since the Platform was launched, we would see that a lot of things have changed, but if we are to consider what are seeking to achieve, then there is still a long way to go, and in the long run, your testimonies represent a great and precious contribution, because it sounds completely different when I, or other government representatives say it and it is completely different when people hear it directly from their fellow citizens.
Dorina Ferazoviç, Co-Governance Platform coordinators: This case was forwarded to the Co-Governance Platform on October by Sadedin Bilaj, a resident in administrative unit No.3. This citizen was complaining about a huge 1000- litre gas tank, which had been placed overnight at the yard of the apartment block where he resides. The complaint was then forwarded to the Technical and Industrial State Inspectorate, which acted in collaboration with the State Police and the Fire Department to remove the gas tank on October 18.
Mr. Sadedin Bilaj: We are around 400 residents living in that apartment block and a private firm dug a deep hole and buried a 1000-litre gas tank on the front lawn of the building. We sought to contact with the businessmen and owner of the gas tank, but he refused to answer. Therefore, I addressed to the co-governance platform. I received a phone call from the coordinator of the Ministry of Interior immediately and police officers from the Police Station No. 4 acted urgently, together with representatives from the Ministry of Energy, the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors, fire brigades and Municipal Police and removed the gas tank within a day. I would like to thank the Prime Minister on behalf of all residents. Many of them were sceptical and advised me not to present my complaint, because I was deemed to fail, but now they are really surprized.
PM Edi Rama: Of course, generally speaking all those who undertake such a step are originally sceptical, but the best side of all of this step is that it cost nothing and it takes no efforts of whatsoever, just two or three minutes accessing the online Platform and filling the complaint. In the case when the complaint is accompanied with the relevant documentation, the time to address a problem is significantly reduced and the Platform is really effective and operational.
Egesta Ahmetaj, Co-Governance Platform coordinator: The case we are about to introduce concerns Mr. Halit Zorba, whose complaint has been lodged with the Platform by his daughter, who lives abroad. The complaint was about recalculation of the pension payment, which was relatively law if we are to consider the long years of work and contributions for over 40 years. The complaint was handled by the Ministry of Finance and Economy via the Social Insurance Institute, which found that Mr. Zorba’s monthly pension should be recalculated. Therefore, his pension file and the due recommendations were sent to the Regional Social Insurance Directorate in Elbasan to recalculate the pension payment and allocate a compensation pay-out for the missing payment over several years.
Mr. Halit Zorba: I was really pleased to attend this meeting today, since my problem was immediately tackled with the help of the Co-Governance Platform. I used to consistently complain at the regional offices in Elbasan, but nobody took care and ignored my plight. This happened until I asked my daughter, who lives in Greece, to access the Co-Governance Platform and file a complaint with it. I received an official reply shortly after. I would like to thank Mr. Prime Minister for creating and providing this opportunity we have never been offered before. I also like to thank the Co-Governance Platform coordinators.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you for taking the trouble to come here, but your presence today is a great help, because this Platform’s team is totally committed to helping every citizen and retiree who face pension miscalculation problems. It is worth trying, because once the pension payment is recalculated and the due payment is defined, the retiree also benefits a compensation pay-out for the missing payment over years. So, everyone receives a full compensation and this somehow redeems the state’s moral obligation towards retired people. Therefore, through the message conveyed by Mr. Halit, I would like to appeal to every retiree who faces similar problem in terms of pension calculation to avoid the Social Insurance Institute and access the online Co-Governance Platform instead. We would be pleased to do their job and act swiftly to tackle problems concerning the retired people.
Ledjana Allka, Co-Governance Platform coordinator: The next case we are about to introduce has to do again with the pension miscalculation. Mr. Allbani has addressed to the Co-Governance Platform, complaining over his pension miscalculation after his years of work and contributions to the National Insurance scheme. After the documentation was verified, the Regional Social Insurance Directorate in Tirana has recalculated the retirement payment and the supplementary pension as former serviceman. After the pension was recalculated, Mr. Allbani has also benefited a compensation pay-out.
Mr. Shaqir Allbani: I would like to cordially thank Mr. Prime Minister for providing us this opportunity to address our plight. I have served the Albanian anti-aircraft armed force for 27 years. I retired, but I was not entitled the due pension payment. I tried to address the matter at the social insurance office, but I failed. Then I decided to lodge a complaint with the Platform and a positive response was provided shortly after.
PM Edi Rama: Our Platform acts just like an anti-aircraft battery and therefore you have done it right by sending your message into air, yet that message is not a common complaint that is taken away by the wind. Instead it ends up straight to the right destination. As you saw for yourselves, there are people who act promptly.
Enada Vruzhi, Co-Governance Platform Coordinator: The case I am about to introduce concerns a complaint forwarded to the Regional Directorate of the State Cadastre Agency in Shkodra. In May, Mr. Roki Mirocaj had filed a complaint, asking for registration of three properties in the municipal unit of Dajç. After failing to find a solution, he decided to register with the online Co-Governance Platform and send his complaint. Three property ownership certifications have been already provided to Mr. Mirocaj as the problem was finally resolved in collaboration with the regional cadastre directorate.
Mr. Roki Miroçaj: The regional cadastre directorate in Shkodra failed to act and provide the property ownership certificates. After failing to meet the legal deadlines, I decided to forward my complaint to the Co-Governance Platform and an official reply was provided promptly and I have been now provided the property ownership certificates.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you very much for taking the trouble to come here.
Fatmir Shehu, Co-Governance Platform coordinator: The first case concerns Mr. Prendë Marku, who will be represented by Mr. Pashkë Nika, who is acting as proxy for Mr. Marku His case concerned the regional State Cadastre Directorate in Shkodra, which, after a series of administrative interactions, declined to provide Mr. Pashk Nika the legalization permits and the property ownership certificate. Unable to find a solution, he finally decided to ask for the Platform’s assistance. Mr. Nika has now been granted the legalization permit and the property ownership certificate.
Mr. Pashk Nika: Frankly speaking, I was somehow reluctant to address the Platform. The case in question concerns a relative of mine. He and many migrants used to “curse” this country when it comes to the public service delivery, especially in the region of Shkodra. I asked him for his consent to grant me a proxy so that I could deal with this matter. Time after time, I used to apply at the regional immovable property registration office to provide the documentation provided by the Legalization of Informal Buildings Agency, but no file on this property was to be found. Luckily enough, we were saved by a payment invoice issued by the postal office. We had paid millions for legalization of this permit since 2013. Unfortunately, the local office failed to act even though we provided the document. The situation has improved somehow since the Platform was launched, yet the situation in Shkoder remains catastrophic. A friend of mine advised me to address the Platform. I paid no attention to his advice, because we have lost trust. However, finally I decided to forward the complaint to the Platform. An official response was sent within few days. I read it and it actually made me hopeful and more optimistic. Finally, the case was solved after the cadastre office and the ALUIZNI were forced to act and find the documents we had submitted years ago.
My case was almost the same. In 2015, I applied for the legalization and the due property ownership certificate for my own house. The case was also solved once I decided to forward the matter to the Platform. I wouldn’t bother to travel to Tirana and attend this meeting if it was not for this mechanism that really helps the ordinary citizens of this country. The institutions tasked with delivering public services in Shkodra have been almost inexistent. Yet things are improving gradually. I would urge you to act and make sure that the public service offices in Shkodra operate just like the police operations rooms, so that citizens have an address to report their complaints. Initiating the online Co-Governance Platform is one the best things you as Prime Minister and your government have done over these years. All government mechanisms, including the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior cooperate with the Platform. If you succeed in making the public service delivery system effective, then you would really liberate Albania.
PM Edi Rama: I really understand your concern and this is our great challenge, because all other challenges, not because they are easier, but they are clearer. While building a serious public administration is not an easy task. It’s not true that everyone is like that. I believe the majority of public administration employees and officials are not like that. All these girls, women, boys and men here work overtime to serve the citizens. If we are to compare today’s public service delivery with what it used to be, the system has definitely improved significantly. However, there is a lot more to be done. We have done our best so far to recruit best specialists. There are a few hundreds of specialists who have been directly employed and we will continue to do so, but this is not an easy process and it won’t conclude soon. It takes time. The countries we look at with admiration and want to approach have built their states hundreds of years ago.
On the other hand, the immovable property registration offices in Shkodra and Vlora are the two black holes of the system. The situation has been catastrophic in the past and it has not improved significantly over these years. Things are changing gradually with the unification of the property registration office and the legalization of informal zones agency. However, the Platform is the one that unites us and helps us mutually, because you see your problems solved, whereas we identify the individuals who should be fired. More than 800 public administration employees and officials have been already penalized exactly for the reasons we just mentioned.
What we should all realize is this Platform is a joint effort. It can’t be done by the central government alone. We should work together; the government which is committed to address your problems and the citizens who want to see their problems solved, so that the public administration is under constant pressure to perform best.
Fatmir Shehu, Co-Governance Platform coordinator: The next case concerns Mr. Myrvet Velcani, a Plyk village resident in Fier district, an area having problems in terms of property registrations over years. Mr. Velçani had filed four applications with the regional immovable property registration office to register his agricultural land, but failing to find a solution. Finally, he has been granted the due property ownership certificate after forwarding the complaint to the Co-Governance Platform.
Mr. Mervet Velçani: I have applied for registration of my agricultural land plots since 2011, but no reply has been provided since then. I was somehow sceptical about the Platform, yet it works fine. I lodged a request with the Platform. I was told by employees at state offices to ask for the Platform’s help and the property ownership certificate was issued within five days only. I have been also informed by the regional office in Fier that the ownership certificate for my house has been issued too. All these thanks to this office and this service you are providing to the ordinary citizens. We are very happy about this. Thank you very much!
PM Edi Rama: One thing is for sure. If citizens decide to make use of the Platform they will be spared of the stress they are through in their everyday life and they will also refrain from cursing the state. They would also give us a great help to speed up the process of building the public administration. Everyone working in the public administration offices should realize immediately that when an ordinary citizen asks for their help, they are as powerful as a member of parliament is. Because, if a complaint over them is forwarded to the Platform, they should then consider the consequences they risk. To this end, we should convey the message strongly: Don’t hesitate! Give a try to this mechanism. It takes just two or three minutes and costs nothing. By accessing the Platform, you would stop wasting time and would spare yourselves a lot of stress, because an official response will be provided as soon as possible.
The only thing the Platform can’t do is to play the role of the judge. There are certain cases when are forced to respond negatively, when having to deal with cases that can be handled by the court only. But, anything having to do with the rights to the public services provided by the state institutions can be successfully tackled by the Platform. The Platform has replaced the old complaints system. I heard the gentleman saying he had written countless letters. I tell him he has wasted time in vain, because millions of letters have been written in this country, but nobody has bothered to read them. There is no need for written letters. This is a new technology-based complaint system, which allows everyone to send a message and a whole team operating behind computer screens act to tackle any problems. These messages can’t be deleted and they can’t be forgotten, as they leave traces in the system.
Albana Gordani, Co-Governance Platform coordinator: It is my pleasure to introduce today one of the cases handled by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. Mrs. Alma Gjevori, a nurse in the village of Pajun, Elbasan district, addressed to the Platform to voice her concern over the need to reconstruct and rehabilitate the health care centre where she currently works in order to improve health care benefiting the community. The Health Care Operator in Elbasan acted immediately to evaluate the situation and work to reconstruct the health centre building is underway. At the same time, thanks to an agreement between the regional Health Care Operator in Elbasan, the Municipality of Elbasan, and the regional Education Office the health care centre has been housed temporary in an alternative building.
Mrs. Alma Gjevori: I am a nurse in the village of Pajun, municipal unit of Paper, Elbasan district. Inspired by the countless cases successfully tackled by the Platform, I decided to file my request over the need to reconstruct the health care centre in our village. Shortly after the work to reconstruct the building started and are about to complete. I believe local residents will benefit better health care services within a week. Thank you everyone for your commitment!
PM Edi Rama: This is the Platform. A nurse from the little-known village of Pajun tackles a problem concerning an entire community thanks to the Platform; an ordinary citizen from Shkodra takes over to solve the case concerning his relative, who works and lives abroad; an ordinary farmer family from the village of Plyk, Fier; another retired citizen, and other ordinary citizens who otherwise would find no solution of whatsoever. But the Platform is the tool to make the government and every cabinet member available to any citizens, and help to tackle countless problems through the assistance provided by the Platform coordinators team.
Therefore, I would like to reiterate my appeal to every Albanian citizen not to waste time and spare themselves of daily stress by simply accessing the Platform Albania We Want. We immediately record their complaints and the whole government becomes available to address the citizens’ problems.
