Speech of Prime Minister Rama given today in Durrës, at “The Day of 100 permits” meeting:
What is important today, here, is that we have come in the aftermath of a process started right after the elections. It is a process that, differently from what happened in 20 years, we did not forget and neither did we store in order to transform it to an electoral show during campaigns, but we started intensively working on it and we still are. The fact that we haven’t recently held such public meeting, with the presence of the media as well, does not mean that meanwhile the process has not continued intensively and that legalizations have not been done. On the contrary, the legalization process is re going on with intensity!
We are here today for 1000 permits. Finally, 1000 families will hold in their hands the long-awaited document. Just think about that in 8 years the former government made 2407 legalizations in all this area, in the whole district of Durrës. 2407 legalization in 8 years, and what is worse is that, not only the figure is ridiculous compared to the sensational promise for legalization they would do across Albania, but there is also another important difference: today we are legalizing and turn into real estate the efforts, sacrifices, savings and all hopes of many years of 1000 families. While from 2407 legalizations made in the last 8 years, the majority of them are not for families and neither for those who came from very poor places to Durrës or near Durrës to build their future, to build a shelter for their families; the majority of those legalizations are for businesses. It is them who invaded the beaches, the sides of the roads in order to build facilities for profit. It is them who invaded the lands where normally it is forbidden by law to do any kind of construction.
Yesterday I saw in Lushnje legalized buildings that were half meter apart from the rail track, whereas law categorically prohibits this kind of construction and this kind of legalization. The law also prohibits legalization on water supply works, legalization in electrical cabinets. These kinds of legalization are the bulk of legalizations that have caused many damages. And today, facing such a situation in which facilities built 1 meter apart from the rail track have been legalized and mortgaged, having also fake documents of ownership, we are forced to go through difficult processes. We are even forced to pay the expropriation money, as we did when we destroyed some of the facilities built next to the University of Tirana that have invaded the park. We paid the expropriation money for illegal properties built illegally and legalized illegally. The reason why we did not destroy immediately the whole row of facilities there, was because first we have to raise money from taxes in order to return the park to citizens. Same thing is happening with the river of Fier. A second “Lana” that passes through the city and that is totally occupied by facilities, some of which have mortgaged buildings on the river. It is through these mortgage decisions that expropriations are legally claimed.
I am saying this to make a very big difference.
We will not legalize anymore anything done for profit on roads, nearby public works, in green areas, nearby lakes or by the sea. We will legalize tens, hundreds and thousands of homes built by families in order to have a better life, without bothering anybody, who have been making sacrifices for 20 years. This is a big fundamental difference originated on June 23 thanks to the vote of many of you and from which will take advantage also those who did not vote us. They voted the Democratic Party, but it is not their fault because they thought the DP knew how to make legalizations. Also, they were told that if Edi Rama and the socialists come to power, they will take you back where you come from. Actually, they did not take you back there but neither did they make you live here in peace. On the contrary, we will give you the legalization documents and will end this 20-year long movie of families waiting for legalization of houses that were built when the daughter-in-law was pregnant, while today her son is about to get married and their house has not been legalized yet. You might say, lucky him since he will get married and has already a house! Ok, but what was the fault of his parents who had to go through hardships for 20 years? I am not sympathizing with those who voted the DP, because it was their choice to suffer while it is up to us to solve their problems, but what about the others, what is their fault?
Joking aside, we are very pleased to be here today, and I am very pleased also for another reason because, tomorrow in Parliament we will pass the budget review. For the first time in 5 years in a row, the budget is being review by the Government not because it lacks money, but because there is more money available to make investments. For 5 years in a row the budget was reviewed in the beginning of each year with the same spirit of someone who says: let’s buy this house, because this year is the World Cup and we will win the bet. Then, in September, after losing the bet, the budget was decreased, people were reduced to poverty and roads where abandoned.
Whereas, we made a realistic budget forecast. We have collected more revenue thanks to increased work pace, reduced corruption, increased transparency in customs and taxes. Tomorrow we will pass in Parliament an additional program of investments for the remaining months. Part of this program is a very strong investment we will do in the entire Marshland area in Durrës, in the new Durrës let’s say. You all it the new Durrës, but actually it is still Marshland. So, Durrës will be the new Durrës after homes are legalized, after appropriate investments for roads, lighting, gardens and nurseries are made. Then it will really be the new Durrës, but now it is the Marshland which at least is safe from further destruction. There, we must build the new Durrës, not the new Marshland.
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Today, 1 thousand families from Durrës and surrounding informal areas received free legalization permits.
General Director of ALUIZNI, Artan Lame and Minister of Tourism and Urban Development, Mrs. Eglantina Gjermeni, who along with Prime Minister Rama attended the meeting, noted that besides legalization, the Government’s vision and policies are already focused on the urbanization of informal areas. “Of course, besides legalization, the policy and vision of the government “Rama” are about the urbanization of informal areas, in order to provide infrastructure and ensure gardens and other important public services for citizens”, – Minister Gjermeni said.
Additionally, Director of ALUZINI, Artan Lame said that “the urbanization of these areas will be an ongoing task”.
While talking to citizens who received permissions, Prime Minister Rama noted that after so many years of delays, citizens are again confident that legalizations are becoming reality. Additionally, Prime Minister Rama thanked all those who with their vote of June 23 trusted the governing coalition and said that “This is very important, because through voting and in that 5-minute time you spend to vote, you might lose a lot or you might win a lot. Just as have wasted so many years all those among you here who voted the party of the former government, only because they believed in their promise for blind legalizations, but at the end no legalizations were done. On the contrary, it is very important that who believed in our project for free legalizations and the services of ALUIZNI – meaning that ALUIZNI will come to your homes so you do not have to go and wait in line and beg for legalizations – have today legalizations done. Not only this, but I am pleased also for another thing. When we brought the law to Parliament to make this process possible and totally free, there were many who objected or commented with cynicism saying that nobody would trust this process. It is true the contrary! After the law was passed, 4000 self declarations were received and this fact shows that legalization can happen. I want to repeat, we will not abandon anyone of those who have built their houses and given the shape of bricks and tiles to their dreams that brought them from far or near in the Marshland of Durrës or in the areas around the big cities. But we will not forgive anyone who has invaded lands for profit, not for houses – to which everyone is entitled – and who has prevented and still continues to prevent Albania from shining in the sun as it deserves!
It is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated that ugly facilities that make ugly any extraordinary beauty on the coast, in the lake of Pgradec or in the cities, can be legalized and stay forever there with deeds of ownership. It cannot be tolerated that today there are still people who think that they can occupy lands, occupy sidewalks or areas in the centre of neighbourhoods and build cafeterias. There is no chance they’re going to muddle through! There is no chance that all those who today put a brick without permission will not be punished! For this reason we have given competences to the State Police to directly deal with this phenomenon. Because legalizing means also to put an end to an era. This goes for all of you. These documents are for the houses you have today. If you want to build another house, or add a storey or a room tomorrow, you will need to get permission to do this. You cannot anymore do this with bricks without permission. If you add a storey without permission, the whole house will be demolished. This is very important also for all those who try to confuse these two processes. The legalization process for houses, the integration process of informal areas, such as the Marshland area or many other areas, is totally different from the demolition process of cafeterias and motels, hotels and whatsoever build on the side of roads and especially in touristic areas. Not to mention what has been built on sidewalks where families and children cannot walk and where shops have occupied streets similar to pregnant women that give birth to themselves every year”.
According to statistics, the previous government legalized in 8 years in the entire district of Durrës a total of 2407 facilities built for profit purposes and which were not residential homes for families without income.
