On the first anniversary of the online co-governance platform “the Albania we want”, the weekly meeting between the Prime Minister Edi Rama and the ordinary citizens who have accessed and filed their complaints with platform took place at the hall of the cabinet meetings:
Prime Minister Edi Rama: This is a very special cabinet, taking place on the first anniversary since the launch of the co-governance project and the start of the work on the co-governance project, which became fully operational last November.
But today we thought it is the case to symbolically hold this meeting with all of you are seated around the cabinet table and have filed your concerns with the co-governance platform, by wholeheartedly and warmly thanking each and every one of you as you are helping us by sharing your story and convey through them the message that the co-governance platform is working and it is a useful tool in the hands of the ordinary people of this country.
Before giving the floor to each of the participants, I would like to reiterate that we have high expectations from the platform, because it works and helps extraordinarily a lot, not only to stand with the people, but also to assess then the performance of the state institutions tasked with the public service delivery by conducting administrative investigations into every alleged case of misconduct, procrastination, injustice and corrupt practices.
Today we can openly acknowledge that the public service offices are still falling short of our expectations are not yet there we all expect them to be, but we will do everything they move there. Slight improvements have been recorded so far, but delivering quality, transparent and on time services to the citizens still remains a problem and the co-governance platform is the shortest effective path to forge direct relations between every citizen with every member of the cabinet and put whole government at the direct service of the common citizens by tackling their needs and problems.
In this way, I believe we would materialize a power of the co-governance, putting maximum pressure on the state offices and the officials and state employees in particular, who are appointed and tasked with delivering services to every citizen without any distinction.
All cabinet members have joined us today and it is them the ones who actually consider and are directly held accountable for each case referred to the co-governance platform for their sector and by giving the floor to each of you who are seated around the table, I believe it is worth to give also the floor to each cabinet member to briefly comment and report on the platform’s performance in the sectors they are in charge of.
We will start with Florika, who has addressed the platform on behalf of a community of residents and, after her, the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy will provide an outline of the work already done by the Ministry he heads and the dependent institutions to tackle the complaints, demands and problems presented by the citizens either individually, or on behalf of a certain community.
Mrs. Florika Topalli: Greetings! I have filed a complaint on behalf of a community of 30 families from the city of Pogradec, or the neighbourhood number 4 to be more precisely. A rehabilitation project of a road in our neighbourhood started two years ago, but the road was deviated, thus becoming a cause of car accidents. That’s why we addressed the platform and filed our complaint. We addressed the Municipality of Pogradec, but response was provided. The Municipality of Korça and the Road Authority also declined to provide a response. Therefore, we addressed the platform, which replied promptly on the very next day and a team of engineers was dispatched to the ground and the problem was solved. I would like to express appreciation to Minister Gjiknuri for that.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you very much Mrs. Topalli. What is to be stressed is the fact that the platform has a 10-day deadline to address a problem posed by citizens and citizens are given a response within 10 days in case their claim or complaint is considered fair and in accordance with the law and in accordance with their rights their problems are solved. Once the problem is tackled, an administrative investigation begins to look into the causes of delays and procrastinations. However, when the complaint is considered unlawful, or when the complaint is addressed to the government, but it is not within the competence of the executive power, they are still provided a reply within the 10-day deadline. Failure to provide a reply on time and endless delays is one of the gravest inherited diseases and which the platform is fighting and healing quite efficiently. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy has tackled a number of such cases due to its competences, and I believe the Minister will briefly provide a full outline.
Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Damian Gjiknuri: Good afternoon! Honourable lady, thank you for praise and compliments. Yours is not an individual case, but a community one. So, various problems concerning certain communities can be addressed via the platform as it is your case, but other similar cases in other parts of the country, when a representative of a certain community has accessed the platform and a solution has been found. Certainly, the Ministry I head provides a wide range of services all over the territory of the country, especially with regards to the public works and infrastructure, which naturally create problems to the citizens, including expropriations or situations concerning the power supply.
To sum up, in order for the public to find out, the Ministry and the institutions depending on it have processed some 1573 complaints filed via the co-governance platform and have tackled 1489 of them. A reply has been provided for the unsolved cases, but there have been also cases when the 10-day deadline has not been met because such issues cannot be solved via the Platform.
Understandably, this has also been a good and effective way to communicate with wider groupings, as has been the case with 3 interpellations because this is also an integrated part of the Platform. After all, if I was to name it, the Platform is by definition a modern form of petition, or a constitutional right that existed, but had been lost in time. But, through the today’s electronic devices, the Platform is the most direct way to access the government and actually, in my opinion, has yielded its results, although many may have been sceptical, but the results are tangible and speak for themselves.
The Platform is also for me a right tool to assess and check the administration’s performance and it has been because of these inspections that disciplinary actions have been imposed on over 49 employees, who have failed to do their job because they haven’t heeded the law requirements and have caused troubles to the citizens. I believe this Platform has already become a consolidated system that will further improve. I believe more and more cases like the one presented by Mrs Florika will emerge in the future and this shows the Platform works. Thank you!
PM Edi Rama: Thank you Mr. Minister! It is true that an often misunderstood approach towards the Platform exists and that’s because of the inertia of an initial scepticism and then it is not understood, or people are unwilling to understand a very simple truth. Platform is nothing else but a technological transformation of the so-called public relations offices, or the public complaints offices.
If all state institutions, including the Prime Minister’s office, have historically had a public relations office, reception offices for the citizens’ complaints and for many citizens it has actually been a very bitter experience as they have wasted time and energy without never receiving a response, today it takes three minutes only to address the problem, not to a physical office, but directly via the phone, the personal computer, to the relevant cabinet member, because, after all, the complaints with the public relations office at a certain Ministry or state institutions were meant to be forwarded to the highest authority. But in this case, the efficiency is at its maximum. Suffice to say that the Platform has been accessed by 58220 citizens, while as many as 22553 complaints have been filed with the Platform’s ‘My Complaint” section. The Platform also includes other categories like interpellations, opinions and contributions, so on and so for, which in their entirety make up for the whole internal life of this communication. But, if we are to consider that an average 1900-1950 cases are handled each month and a response is provided within ten days. This is a revolution in terms of the relations between the government and state institutions with the common citizens. Considering that the Platform processes an average 1950 cases each month, which otherwise would remain pending as they used to remain for years long – and several cases filed with the Platform have shown that they haven’t been tackled for many years – then we can state this is a good job that should go on.
I would like to invite Elion Cinari. Thank you for attending. It is another case addressed by the Platform, this time by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, which will be presented by Elton.
Mr. Elion Cinari: Hello everyone! I am from the village of Guras, Pogradec. My complaint concerned with the problems we are facing regarding the trout farming in the river part close to the Ohrid Lake estuary. I and a friend of mine are very passionate of fishing, but we had a conflict with the person I have complaint against. He did not allow us to fish. That’s why I thought filing a complaint with the Ministry of Agriculture. No trout farming is allowed in the vicinity of the lake’s estuary. I filed the complaint and two days ago I had a meeting with the fishing inspector and the entire trout farming facility has been now closed.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you! The Minister will provide full explanation over the case, because it all started as a complaint over alleged barriers to the free competition in fishing, but something more serious has surfaced and it is about a fish species that harms the spotted lake trout eggs, which is the lake’s greatest wealth, and it was about a kind of fish farming practice that completely violated the norms and legislation into force.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Niko Peleshi: Hello everyone! This is a typical case when a personal complaint made by an individual actually became an indication to address a much bigger problem. As you Mr. Prime Minister said, the complaint revealed to the detriment of the community, but also to the detriment of a great wealth we are seeking to be inscribed on the UNESCO reserve, as the Elion’s appeal pushed us, therefore forced us pressured our fishing director to control the entire area. The complaint filed by Elion put us and the regional Agriculture and Rural Development Office to inspect the entire area. And we found out not one, but 13 licensed and unlicensed private entities dealt with trout farming, an activity that is completely banned. Immediate measures were in place to remove whole trout offspring and a directive is about to be issued providing for the destruction of all these, so to say, mini trout farms. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has addressed 226 cases during a year. There have been 226 complaints that have been all tackled within the binding 10-day deadline. The Platform’s innovation is not only because it is the shortest route or a tool to serve thousands citizens, but, through a strong pressure, it also helps us and our structures to wake up and assume responsibility for each case. Based on the complaints filed by the citizens, we have imposed eight 8 disciplinary actions. We can’t still say everything has been tackled, but initial successful steps have been already made. We are seeking to gradually cultivate a new culture in our offices. Meanwhile, the National Food Authority has indicted charges against 60 individuals, inspectors and entities for various offences. Trust has been restored, though yet not fully restored, but at least the citizens are accessing the Platform and are increasingly filing their complaints. While until yesterday, until a year ago, they did not even take the trouble of sending a letter or making a complaint, knowing they would fall into deaf ears. We have made an interpellation and with the wide community of meat and dairy operators as part of food safety campaign and a series of other interpellations are in process and through the platform we serve not only a citizen to address the demand of self, but also to a broader community.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you very much Mr. Minister. The issue of medicines has been often a hot topic during this period. Following an indispensable medicine reimbursement decision by the Ministry of Health and following a strong collision with the pharmaceutical lobby groups, which have the power to significantly influence both politics and the media to create a disinformation situation and anxiety among the citizens. And of course, it was a situation with many actors within the system, who are interested in maintaining the status quo, became involved and practically put us temporarily in a difficult position. However, without going further over this topic but by focusing on the Platform, I would say that the Platform has proved really helpful for many people and we have tackled today one of these cases. Gëzim, who comes from Laç, is one of the citizens who have accessed the Platform precisely for the absent medicines. The Minister will take the floor later, but Gezim will present the case himself to encourage everyone to follow his lead whenever facing the slightest problem with the health system, either regarding the reimbursement of medicines, or the service provided at the healthcare centres across the country, or the hospitals, urging them not to accept no other standard, but the one they deserve and ask for: quality, correct, and transparent service without paying a bribe. I am saying this because many complain – and many of those who have never been in a hospital tend to complain more- but the truth is that we have invested a lot and will continue to do so in order to substantially transform our hospitals and healthcare centres. The bribery practices can be fought only together with the citizens, who refuse such phenomenon. With regards to the tips over bribes in the health system, the Platform offers a special section that if you access it, the complaint is received by the Platform operators and is immediately forwarded to the Health Minister.
Mr Gëzim Prenga: I come from the town of Laç. The medicine I use to treat my disease was not to be found in the market for around five months. Therefore, I was forced to ask my sister who lives in Germany to provide the medicine for me. I have been chronically ill for 15 years. I learned about the Platform while watching TV and I accessed it immediately. I couldn’t believe myself. In five days only, I received a phone call from the Platform’s operators, who told me to go to the drug store and receive the medicine. I asked them “How is this possible”? Finally, I have received the medicine and I would like to express my appreciation to the Health Minister, the Prime Minister and everyone elese.
PM Edi Rama: This is the reason why I repeatedly appreciate everyone who, just like you join us here and contribute to convey the message to the others to follow your lead.
Mr Gëzim Prenga: I now fully believe that the Co-Governance Platform works, because I didn’t believe it.
PM Edi Rama: The sense of distrust is understandable. There have been a lot of reasons to believe and trust nothing in the past, but your contribution is crucially important, because when I say that all politicians are the same, ordinary people tend to think that all politicians lie and they are all thieves. But when you say it and when that is heard by common people, then the message is easily conveyed.
Mr Gëzim Prenga: It happens I go often to hospitals and the change is quite obvious. It is not because you say it and I don’t believe it. It happens I go often to hospitals and the transformation is really like night and day.
PM Edi Rama: The transformation is like night and day and actually like the night and dawn since the sun has yet to rise. We are aware of this. Thank you very much!
The Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu: Indeed, the problem Gezim raised with the Platform is a concern we took notice of immediately as the Platform serves entire communities and not a person only. As soon as Gezim voiced his concern over a medicine he needs for his chronical disease he is being treated for, we immediately employed all the required tools from the of Mandatory Health Insurance Fund to immediately sign a contract with wholesale drug distributors in order to ensure that the required medicine is found in the town of Laç and becomes available to Gezim and other chronically ill patients there. On the other hand, I would like to highlight that as far as the Ministry of Health and Social Protection is concerned, the online Platform is the right mechanism to immediately address the citizens’ concerns, problems and complaints over the healthcare system and, of course, the social protection system and the social programs we are implementing. As many as 1618 citizens have filed their complaints with the Platform over the past 11 months. This is a considerable number, but yet not to high, because I believe the number of the citizens facing problems when it comes to the healthcare system might be higher. We still have a lot to do and we are quite aware that a number of problems exist in the healthcare system. But, on the other hand, the Platform is the right instrument not to discuss the matter with the neighbour or relatives, but to directly contact those in the country’s health care system and social protection system, who are tasked with serving you. Some 1424 reported complaints have been solved by our relevant structures, which have been carefully verified to discover whether they have been caused due to the staff’s negligence or unjustified delays. Some 55 disciplinary actions have been put in place following these verifications of the problems that might have caused delays in the public service delivery process. There have certainly been typical success stories that have contributed to our efforts to tackle the problems of individuals, certain social groups or entire communities. Via the Platform, we have managed to expand and improve healthcare services in certain towns and cities across the country, expand timetable for healthcare services availability, in the town of Rubik for example, where a two-shift service was needed to be arranged in order to provide for a quicker access to health service and tackle other problems concerning a group of peritoneal dialysis patients, who are no longer forced to travel to Tirana in order to receive such service and instead receive it in the districts the live, exactly due to the lack of a direct communication with the citizens. The Platform is the best tool and I like to urge all citizens to access it as it takes 3 minutes only to report a complaint and then we can address their problems in less than ten days. To conclude, I just want to thank Gezim for reporting his complaint and encourage other citizens to follow his lead and continue communicating with us via the Platform.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you. Another Platform component is that of the immediate communication with every Albanian citizen who live abroad. A number of cases have been registered – on which the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs is about to report – with many citizens who live in the United States, Europe and Australia, having accessed the Platform to have their problems solved. The Minister will certainly focus on the cases concerning our foreign service, but the Platform has also addressed many other cases over the legalization process of informal buildings, property registration, and pensions rights for families and individuals currently living across the ocean. This is a dimension the previous public relation offices completely lacked and had no chance of adding such a dimension, because they were offices that included meeting in person. The next case selected by the Platform’s operators team concerns Mr. Reshit Ismaili, who went through a long odyssey to secure a document and he is here to share his account with us. I would like to thank you for coming, because your accounts give more effect than every word we utter.
Mr. Reshit Ismaili: I face a problem since 2017. On October 12, my son addressed our Consulate in Spain to apply for a biometric passport after I provided him the required legal documents. The Consulate officials told him they will call him when to apply for the passport. After a long ten-hour drive, two days later he received a phone call, telling him to report at the Consulate and apply for the passport. My son missed the appointment and the documents copies were sent back to Tirana. Eight months have passed since then. On December 3, a police officer came and made a verification and disappeared since then. What was going on? We contacted the Albanian Consulate in Italy and we were told that my son’s documents had been blocked by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I addressed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where I was extended perfect reception and they tackled my problem. I called my son and told him to report at the Consulate and collect his passport. I am very pleased at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs work. I would propose our foreign service officials to complete the whole application procedure on the same day when a fellow citizen appears at our consulates and embassies abroad, because our relatives there have to arrange work and procedures simultaneously. My son is working there. When he left the country, he had the old passport and a new biometric one was needed. He emigrated to Spain back in 1998 and has been working there since then. He has not returned to Albania over the past 20 years because he cannot travel without holding the required documents.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you very much. I looked upon the reported case and I found it was solved within a very short time. May be the Minister will take advantage of this opportunity to briefly comment on the digital consulate program we have recently launched and has become a great help to every one of those who are used to go to the Consulate when they can receive many services via the telephone.
Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ditmir Bushati: Thank you Mr. Prime Minister! As everyone here stated, the Platform exists and an army of operators work with it and this platform has probably come to best reflect our daily work and performance to understand the quality of the service and the relevant offices provide to the citizens. I would like to highlight a single case to show that the eight-month data show that the consular service has considered and tackled around 500. 000 cases concerning Albanian citizens who live abroad. This large category, as Ridvan’s father said, includes several other subgroups. There are Albanians, who hold dual citizenship, namely the Albanian citizenship and that of the country where they live. There are others who hold Albanian citizenship only, but they still live on full documentation, whether in the US or EU countries, where are located most of the Albanians living abroad. There are cases too, such as the case in question, with people not yet fully involved in this process. Our work concerns two large subgroups. On the one hand, there is the interaction with the institutions of the Albanian state. You already mentioned it Mr. Prime Minister. This is a typical institutional ping-pong case inflicting consequences on the citizens, because, as far as the case in question is concerned, the biometric data should have been verified, since it was the first time such a document was to be issued by the State Police just like the law stipulates and it is because of this institutional ping-pong, about which I am not happy at all despite the positive considerations about this institution, the reply is delayed and no one assumes responsibility. Second, it is another situation that doesn’t depend on us, because it is about the seizure of passports or driving licenses issued by the authorities of the countries where Albanian citizens live or travel to and it is very difficult to address such problems in ten days only. However, when it comes to providing a response and the strict legal deadline imposed by law on this Platform I have made efforts to set a standard. Out of 127 complaints, whose number is low due to the limited scope of our Ministry as of compared to other institutions, 119 of them have been already tackled. As for the Consular Service, the truth is that in addition to the Platform, we receive countless phone calls and whatsapp messages which we verify carefully, but a lot remains to be done. The online consular service we grant everyone the opportunity to file online applications. Except the cases when the biometric data are needed, no one should report in person at our Consular Service offices. The program already underway is designed to reduce time needed to proceed with the consular services. I would like to add something about the Platform. A series of problems of community nature addressed by other institutions were part of the today’s discussion. In our case, we have tried to respond to the citizens’ interest, whether in terms of Albania’s membership process in the European Union, the issues that are being discussed with Greece and I have the impression that been open to any initiative forwarded to us via the Platform and today there are people doing internship at our institution based on an idea proposed through the Platform.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you Mr. Minister! We will go on with the introduction of another case that is a typical case of the complicated and frustrating Kafkaesque processes citizens go through when dealing with the state administration, namely with the Civil Status Office in this case, and I want to reiterate the message that the Co-Governance Platform “Albania We Want” is the shortest and most efficient way to address a problem with the state offices tasked with public service delivery. The Platform is the tool to directly mobilize the relevant institution’s head and tackle a case like this one a lady from Korça is about to introduce, an absurd case concerning the personal data in the national civil registry that has caused her a lot of trouble for several months.
Mrs. Stoli Agolli: Hello everyone! My problem concerned the local Civil Status Office in our city. I had to apply for a personal certificate to send it to my son who is attending university if France. I had to send the document within a week, but when I applied we found out that my family name was misspelled. After a long train of sufferings and wandering the state offices and archives although I hold the identification card with my name and family name correctly spelled, but they insisted that a mistake done by others couldn’t be corrected. Once I provided the whole documentation and presented to the local Civil Status Office, they told me the documents were to be mailed to Tirana, but I wouldn’t receive any reply if I had no acquaintances to act as a kind of a middleman. Many citizens haven’t got any response for more than a year. Since I had no friends to act as middleman, I accessed the Platform and filed my complaint. Two days later I received a phone call telling that my problem had been solve and I could now collect the corrected certificate.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you for likening us with “a middleman”, because I have already stated and I want to reiterate that the Platform is the humblest and most loyal middleman, who is the relevant cabinet member, who acts instantly to put the entire mechanism in motion to find out the problem and address it. And the process then continues with efforts to tackle an even bigger problem, just it was the case introduced by the Minister of Agriculture.
It is a problem to figure out any case is related to deliberate delays. In the present case, the delay was not intentional, but yet it was unacceptable. However, when there is a suspicion of a deliberate delay, then administrative inquiries start and I believe that the Justice Minister will report on this at the end of the meeting. I am giving the floor to the Deputy Minister of Interior to briefly outline on behalf of the institution the work done with the co-governance platform.
Deputy Interior Minister Rovena Voda: I don’t know and actually see Stoli, who has filed the complaint via the Platform, for first time today. As you Mr. Prime Minister stated, the Co-Governance Platform is today the citizens’ best friend. Indeed, a large number of complaints have been forwarded to the Ministry of Interior since the Platform was launched a year ago. A total of 773 complaints have been filed with the Platform and addressed to the Ministry of Interior, and I am pleased to announce that 660 of them have been already tackled, whereas the rest of 114 complaints are considered closed cases, since they have either been addressed to other state institutions, or are still underway because of legal hurdles and the citizens have shown their understanding. To provide a reply on time – worth mentioning is that the Stoli’s case has been addressed within 24 hours – we have tried to restructure the internal organization in order to respond within 10 days. We have established points of contacts at every directorate and department since the Ministry of Interior is one of the institutions with the largest structure, as it includes the State Police too. We have established contact points at the State Police, the General Directorate of the Civil Status Registry, and the Inspection Directorate, where the largest number of complaints are forwarded to. I am pleased to say the Platform has serves as a sort of mechanism to materialize three principles of the public administration. I would highlight three of them: transparency, accountability and efficiency. This is probably a kind of exercise the public administration is going through to understand that time is ripe for these principles not to remain on paper, but build a public administration we want following the successful reform we are seeking to implement. In the framework of efforts to address community problems, I would like to point out a successful interpellation case with the Federation of Albanian Aquaculture Producers, with us making all efforts to assist the federation since it is one of the best sectors, accounting for a considerable share of the country’s economy over the past few years.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you Mrs. Deputy Interior Minister.
The Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, a very important institution in sharing the burden of topics and problems addressed via the platform, has tackled a case that once again shows that dealing with an individual case can help in addressing a problem concerning an entire community. Erion is invited to introduce the case and I would like to express him my appreciation for the precious help every account provides us.
Mr. Erion Çodo: I come from Durres and I graduated from the Sports University. I obtained the bachelor degree on physical activity and recreation, while I was awarded the master degree in teaching and physical activity. After being graduated, I addressed to the regional Education Directorate in Durres to submit the relevant documentation in order to begin internship and obtain the due license to resume my practice. There I was told that my bachelor degree was not compatible with the teaching I was graduated in and it meant I had wasted five years of my life going to university. I had no choice but to access the Platform and a response was provided in record time, telling that my problem was being solved. I would like to express my appreciation to the Minister of Education, who addressed this problem quickly and which will also help many other students like me. Thank you!
The Minister of Education, Sports and Youth Lindita Nikolla: I want to thank Erion and some 11170 other complainants for addressing the Co-Governance Platform, with 9984 of the complaints being already solved. I want to point out a quite significant moment how the Co-Governance Portal has helped me personally to improve work and performance. Just a year ago, I used to go over some five complaints a day, not just by providing a reply to each of them, but learning in the process through a lacking mechanism that has now grown to become the citizens’ eye to monitor how the whole hierarchical education system in the country was functioning. Therefore, allow me to say that the Co-Governance Platform has helped us a lot in our efforts to improve the education system services. Of course, a lot remain to be done and improve. An idea forwarded via the Co-Governance Platform’s “my initiative” section has set a new standard in the country’s entire education system. I am talking about “the three subjects in six classes” proposal that was introduced via the Platform. Allow me also say that the case introduced by Erion has an impact on some 900 students graduated from the Sports University and it has now been signed into law. The proposal has become a new standard to improve all legal acts. A new directive has been issued as part of the Co-Governance Platform and has helped to address a number of problems concerning the education system and that have been forwarded via the Platform. I would like to tell every citizen this is a Platform that helps us all; the citizens to benefit the required service, and it helps us to improve our work. The Platform is an instrument to assess and evaluate our performance and responsibility. A cabinet member can no longer avoid any complaint filed with the Co-Governance Platform, since it has become into a tool that measures our work through the performance card we have agreed on with the Prime Minister. It has also serves as instrument to evaluate the performance of each official in the entire hierarchy of the system. Some 37 cases of punishment have been registered in the education system after failing to provide service and address the complaints forwarded via the Platform, which has also become an instrument through which the Ministry of Education evaluates the performance of each department and educational officials. The Co-Governance Platform has also become an instrument, a new communication bridge among our higher education institutions, which, although autonomous, have also been engaged in providing response and efforts to address the citizens’ problems.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you Mrs. Minister! It is absolutely true and it is worth mentioning again that in many cases, the citizens have been the ones to take the trouble and challenge distrust regarding the adoption of legal amendments and new bylaws. Likewise, the environment is an area with many citizens reporting wrongdoings and the Minister of Tourism and the Environment has always been quick to react and respond, guaranteeing what every cabinet member guarantees by responding through the institutions, but also by personally inspecting the situation on the ground and verifying the complaints and adopting the relevant measures. The Platform’s team is comprised of a group of 30 boys and girls who work around the clock to gather information and forward it to the cabinet members. The team has picked the case of Mr. Shaqja from Shijak, who accessed the platform not just for a personal issue, but also on behalf of the community where he lives. Thank you for attending and the floor is yours.
Mr Armelin Shaqja: The problem I was dealing with was that a workshop manufacturing aluminium furniture operated next to my house. The manufacturing includes a painting process too. The electrical saws were very noisy and it became almost impossible for my family to live in our own house. I addressed to the local police directorate and the municipality but both failed to act and solve the problem. Then I decided to access the Platform. I filed my complaint with the Platform and received a response very quickly. Local environment inspectors visited the facility many times and at last decided to shut down the business. I thank God, the Co-Governance Platform and the regional Environment Inspectorate in Durres.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you! He made me smile. It felt really nice to hear you thanking God and the Co-Governance Platform. I will give the floor to Minister.
Minister of Tourism and Environment Blendi Klosi: In exchange of Armelind’s gratitude to God and Co-Governance Platform, I would like to appreciate Armelind and 390 devoted citizens of this country, who have denounced various cases via the Co-Governance Platform during this year. Some 345 cases have been already tackled. In other words, we have sought to address at least one case each day, although not a merely computer reply or an occasional solution was involved in many cases. Armelind’s case included a certain procedure which showed, just like in many other cases, the state structures were not working properly. Thus, apart from the fact that the private business operated illegally in that area of Shijak, as it had not acquired an environmental permit, the inspectors’ presence there revealed another business lacking the due environmental permit, which was denied to the aforementioned business after an application was filed. This business can no longer operate in that area. I highlighted this case since I wanted to point out that in many cases we have been informed via the Co-Governance Platform over cases that have been omnipresent since the Platform was launched a year ago. Such cases included problems concerning the stone quarries, where significant progress has been made, but we are still far from finding a final solution. A government decision has been already made, just like you Mr. Prime Minister noted, which changes and regulates the relation between the state and the stone quarry owners, confirming our support for this sort of business which, in turn, should not run counter the citizens’ interests. All stone quarries in Tomorr Mountain were shut down in a story that did not end just because of the complaint filed with the Co-Governance Platform by a group of Polican residents, but at the same time we imposed measures and engaged in a continued fight with the problem-riddled judiciary system still in place in our country and we still owe a lot to the citizens, because should the Vlora court would have made a ruling in favour of the citizens, then the Tomorr Mountain would have been totally rehabilitated by now. We still face a number of problems in that area and – to be honest with the citizens who keep on writing via the Platform – our efforts are still underway. Likewise, it was thanks to an initiative launched by a group of intellectuals on the use of plastic bags in our country. A government proposed law since 2015 was designed to reduce the use of plastic bags. It took the initiative of a group of intellectuals and university professors, who accessed the Platform’s “My Initiative” section, and a decision was made on the use of plastic bags, which has yielded very positive effects on the environment and urban waste treatment. A series of measures have been put in place in the framework of this new relationship with the citizens, because, as it was the case in Shijak, the environment inspectorate and individuals tasked with inspecting businesses have not been working properly. Therefore, some 30 inspectors have been fired. Meanwhile, charges were raised against the chief environment inspector in the case of Mount Tomorr quarries and entire staff of the regional inspectorate. I highlighted all these cases to say that we are eager to further strengthen this cooperation, because the citizens’ opinion is crucial to our efforts to protect environment and build a clean and tourist Albania.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you Mr. Minister! Less complaints have been addressed to the Ministry of Culture, as an area with its own specifics, but yet a typical case has been picked and it has to do with the preservation of a monument of culture, namely the Prophet Ilia’s Church. I am deeply grateful to Mrs. Doloreza Mosko, who is with us today.
Mrs. Doloreza Mosko: I am here today as a representative of the community of Stegopul village, the commune of Libohove, or Lunxheri region, for a religious site, the Prophet Elija’s Church, that is found in that village. Our forefathers and parents built the church but they couldn’t reconstruct it. We decided to address the Co-Governance Platform, hoping but also hesitating that nothing could be done. But yes, “the miracle” happened. We received a positive response within three days. A Ministry of Culture team was dispatched and inspected the state of the monument. Another group of painters and sculptures arrived just a day ago to restore the church’s icons. A lost hope was restored thanks to the Co-Governance Platform. I am a retired teacher and I am a Tirana resident, but I live mainly in my village. I have now returned to my father’s home, because I think that these villages offer incredible opportunities for development of tourism. Restoration of the monastery will turn it into a tourist destination. They are wonderful areas. The Minister of Culture pledged to restore this religious site during meetings she had with the local residents, but we were really surprised at quick reaction of the Co-Governance Platform. Mr. Prime Minister. I will quote a saying by Kipling, a great poet and philosopher: “With every minute you are given, make the absolute most of it that you can.” You as a Co-Governance have done most of it in whole Albania.
PM Edi Rama: A poetess used to say: “if you would behave with the mighty and the helpless in the same way, then you are a man.”
Minister of Culture Mirela Kumbaro: Actually, by thanking Doloreza, not only for the concern she has raised via the Platform, but also for the explanation I wouldn’t do better than she did, although I am a literature teacher too. The community’s request was filed on September 2. To all of those who think that culture heritage is not a problem to worry about, I would say that Doloreza is the best example showing that spiritual worries are just as indispensable on the people’s everyday life and the Stegopul’s community, who mainly live in Tirana, shows how important the cultural heritage is in the everyday wellbeing and in the everyone’s identity, as well as a tourist potential. Although the Ministry of Culture is currently implementing 33 construction and restoration projects across the country, I should acknowledge that the aforementioned church indeed was not included in these projects, but it was launched after the Stegopoli community addressed the Platform on September 2. A week later, a team of engineers arrived at the site and has carried out all the necessary measurements. A lot of work has been done on drafting the church restoration project which was approved at the National Restoration Council meeting on September 26. As Doloreza just said, we actually proceeded with the second phase of the project on restoration of the exceptional mural paintings in this religious site and work will advance with the funding project, by including the site in the government’s “Roads of Faith” program, we have already launched across the territory of Albania. Therefore, I would like to thank Doloreza, and everyone else who voices such concerns, showing us that culture remains an extraordinary spiritual value.
PM Edi Rama: I would like to introduce another typical and worrisome case tackled by the Platform, that is the topic on loss of pension right and documents, and miscalculation of pension benefit. I am extremely pleased that a considerable number of retired people have finally solved such a problem thanks to the Platform. When I think how many people have passed away without addressing this problem, I can’t help but constantly encourage the Platform team to include addressed cases of pension loss every time they introduce cases tackled via the Platform. In this case it is Luljeta that has accessed the Platform on behalf of her father, a former serviceman. It is often the case when nephews, nieces and sons-in-law do it on behalf of their retired relatives as they have quick access to the digital technology. Mrs. Luljeta, thank you for being here today.
Mrs. Luljeta: I am the daughter of an ex-serviceman, who for years, since the law on supplementary pension entered into force back in 2009, he didn’t benefit because his pension documents had been lost. He and we in our family went through endless sufferings. Every time we addressed to the relevant institutions, the answer was: “His documents have been lost.” Then my father’s expectations for the supplementary pension benefit also lost. However, thanks to the Co-Governance Platform, it took just a quick click to ultimately solve my father’s problem. The file was found and he now benefits the due pension benefit as an ex-serviceman. I am here to thank you all on his behalf for this innovation of the Albanian government.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you very much! It is both simple and horrible when you think about it, because he was denied the supplementary pension benefit since 2009 despite your endless attempts, because the whole process remained stuck at a certain level of the public administration and no one lifted a finger to address the matter. As long as we don’t have a public administration working like a self-sufficient mechanism without a need to be monitored and be under pressure from higher authorities, it is always imperative that the highest authorities intervene and act to address a certain issue. Your father failed to solve his problem for more than ten years, but the Platform tackles the problem immediately and it takes just a message in order to establish a contact between an ordinary citizen and the highest authorities. It is this contact and relation that instantly creates the co-governance agreement to solve the problem, putting entire mechanism in the citizen’s service. Thank you! I would invite the Deputy Minister of Defence to provide a brief outline of the Ministry of Defence work under the Co-Governance Platform.
Deputy Minister of Defence Petro Koçi: I would like to express my appreciation to around 200 citizens, who have accessed the Co-Governance Platform to address certain problems they have faced when dealing with the Ministry of Defence or the Armed Forces. I want to emphasize that the Co-Governance Platform is not only a quick, short and efficient way, but also the best one to build such a relationship. I believe the Platform means power for the citizens. Luljeta’s case shows this, but also many other cases. We have recorded nine success stories that have been addressed spectacularly, because of the fact that these cases have been dragged for years. Of 200 cases I mentioned earlier, 170 of them have been fully addressed. It means that the highest percentage of the citizens who have addressed the Platform were actually right, or the complaint they have filed via the Platform has been right. On the other hand, I would like to point out that the Platform has become a great opportunity also for other reasons. It is a fact that a large number of initiatives are proposed by citizens, whether former servicemen or not, and which are welcome – just like the proposal for setting up a voluntary civilian groups to face initial stages of a civil emergency without awaiting for the arrival of the Armed Forces, or as it is proposed that deputy head prefects are picked from the ranks of former servicemen, as it is the case of prefects, because they are very effective people in coping with the ever increasing emergencies in recent years. On the other hand, the Platform has helped us to discover the cases of irresponsible officials. Three officials have been punished thanks to the Platform. Therefore, once again, I would like to express appreciation to all of those who have accessed the Platform and encourage others to follow their lead. On the other hand, there is one more reason that the initiative we have already launched to increase online services, give more willingness, more perseverance, so things move a lot much faster.
PM Edi Rama: The Platform includes a special section named “My contribution” with citizens being invited to provide their contribution to the co-governance by making their expertise available, make suggestions and engage in voluntary works, either directly or via the online Platform. Such is the case of Suela, who has been graduated abroad, but she has offered he contribution as an expert on the Diaspora issues as part of the team of the Minister of State for the Diaspora, who has welcomed Suela’s offer and she is today here with us to share her experience regarding the Co-Governance Platform.
Mrs. Suela: I come from Elbasan, although I currently come from a 14-year academic and professional life experience outside of Albania, between Italy and Germany. I went to Italy back in 2003 to study Political Science, with a special focus on developing international cooperation. Let’s say professionally I am a development co-operator. After graduation, I have been working with a non-governmental organization in Italy, mainly operating in the field of immigration, considering all the issues the migrant target group experience in the host countries, as well as in the countries of their origin, Albania in this case. My experience in Germany has also been focusing on work with the civil society organizations assisting emigrants integrate in the host countries and after this significant and long experience that has helped me to grow professionally and academically on the issues of good governance, accountability, transparency, capacity building of state and non-state institutions, I made a tough and drastic, yet a well-thought-out decision to return to Albania, a decision based not only on the emotive relations with my family and homeland, which grow stronger after a long time abroad, but it has been also a careful well-thought-out choice following the recent developments in Albania. While still living abroad, I always followed the new reforms being implemented in Albania, the renewed Albanian government calls for brain gain, the contribution that the diaspora or immigrants can generally provide to their homeland and I decided to come back home. Currently, for over a year I live in Albania. Since then, I have been mainly working through the development migration program with the local associations in the Elbasan district, where I first came across the Co-Governance Platform, as the parents of the individuals we advocated for had many complaints and we filed these complaints with the online Platform. My personal experience with the Platform was when I decided to give my contribution at an institutional level. Having developed great expertise and experience, I decided to make my academic capacities at a government institution in order to contribute more to my country. Fortunately, I received a positive response. I was invited for an interview by the Minister of State for the Diaspora. The Ministry needed professionals who are well familiarized with the diaspora issues. I am now contributing as part of the Albanian Development Fund for the Diaspora, which in itself has the same objective, to support diaspora members in all possible ways in order to promote social, economic, cultural ties, promote philanthropic tendencies and their plans to invest, that is to maintain close ties with your homeland. I am grateful for inviting me here today, because, I think it is my duty to urge all Albanian young people who have already gradated, or want to return home to make use of the available official channels, because they are really effective. I can testify this.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you very much Suela. I will give the floor to the Minister of State for the Diaspora. I avail myself of this opportunity to announce that together with the Minister, we proposed during the cabinet meeting in Korça – something I forgot to mention at the press point following the meeting – following a consultation with many interest diaspora groups we have decided to host the next Diaspora Summit on March 2 in Lezha.
Minister of State Pandeli Majko: To mark the 575th anniversary of Lezha’s Assembly – the venue has yet to be decided depending on the number of the participants – I think this is one of the events we are hosting in collaboration with the German GIZ. I think there many issues we need to review. Reflecting on what I just heard, I think that everything said, written and turned into law on equality before the law are superfluous when a state fails to act and respond. Everyone knows us whenever we go to the hospital, the library or state offices, while you are anonymous. Therefore, the today’s meeting makes sense exactly for the reason that the state, although belated, is trying to make every one of you part of what has been already written on paper. Essentially more than a real success this is an expression of the obligation towards all of you here today. We started with these details, because in my experience as MP, one of the problems I encountered was the people waiting for us in front of the Socialist Party headquarters when holding the parliamentary group meetings. That crowd of people no longer exists. With regards to our fellow citizens who wish to return home, this is something that triggers a sense of unease, because I believe every one of you has a family member or a relative living abroad, who say we feel strangers in a foreign country, but we still feel being strangers when visiting our homeland. Taking notice of this, we have embarked on drafting other legal changes, which will be forwarded to the government, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, and these amendments also include a proposal we have already discussed also with the Consultative Council of the local government and it provides for opening of a diaspora office at every municipality across the country, as people face many troubles and problems, which are part of both central and local government responsibilities and which we need to address all together.
PM Rama: Thank you very much Mr. Minister! This is exactly the goal of the Platform, that the state provides a real time response and the Platform compensates the lack of capacities of the administration over the years to function as a self-sufficient mechanism along with the ongoing reforms and changes to the systems which of course take time. The Platform overcomes time and provides everyone the opportunity to receive the service they are entitled to. Mr. Shpëtim is from Saranda and is here with us today. Thank you for taking the trouble, because this is a precious contribution as you help the others to trust in this experience. Without wasting time, I will give the floor to share with us the long odyssey with the tax administration.
Mr. Shpëtim Ahmeti: Ours is somehow a specific problem, since I am here on behalf of the local business community. I am the head of the international association of travellers and one of the administrators of the company “Butrinti Travel”, which operates the regular transport lines with Greece. We operate this regular transport line for over 12 years and we are licensed by the Ministry of Transport of Albania and the Ministry of Transport of Greece in compliance with the agreements and conventions between the two countries. However, for more than two years, since your government in its second term in office announced the platform to crack down on informality we are messing around the state offices. First, I addressed to the Ministry of Transport, the authority that has licensed the activity we deal with, and we are told that we were legally right, but the law enforcement agencies are not entitled to stop them. The informal and illegal transport activities by the 8+1 vans is becoming a gangrene. It is regrettable that this is happening right in front of the state’s nose, in the customs points in Kapshtica, Kakavija, Qafe Bote. I am talking about with customs points on border with Greece. We have been addressing formal letters to state institutions that the Co-Governance Platform has already handled and has already provided a reply, but has also asked for our help to identify the licence plate of all vehicles involved in illegal transportation. After addressing a letter to the Ministry of Finance in June, a crackdown on informality was launched along the Albanian Riviera and 2 or 3 subjects were penalized, but this is not enough. This Platform was our only last hope. We have been addressing formal letters to the Directorate of Border and Migration, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Finance, which was the only institution that ordered the Tax Investigation Directorate to identify the problem.
PM Rama: This is why we wanted you to be here today, because it is all about an ongoing battle and this is to show that not everything is in the pink of condition and that we won’t give up when it comes to public services and when it comes to fighting together and putting an end to illegal phenomena. That’s why a number of state institutions, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Finance in order to put an end to this phenomenon. Deputy Minister will briefly report on the Ministry of Finance efforts to address complaints filed via the Platform.
Deputy Finance Minister: It has been a year since the Platform was launched and became operational and what we already heard shows that the Platform works and is an added value to the good governance. Let’s not forget that the Platform was launched just a year ago and it took some time to fully operate, but we’re now in full swing and we hope it will become more effective next year. Similar to Shpetim’s case, the Ministry of Finance has received some 1768 requests and complaints, a considerably high number due to the scope of responsibility the Ministry covers. One should not forget this scope of responsibility is regulated by a special law on complaints, like the law on tax procedures. However, a considerable number of individuals and businesses have been forced to address the Platform, something that shows its importance. The Ministry of Finance has tackled 1502 cases. In response to these violations, the Ministry of Finance has found out that in several cases imposing punitive measures has been necessary, while 3 interpellations with different business groups have been held. I take this opportunity to urge citizens and businesses alike, who just like Shpetim face unfair competition and informality, without a close cooperation with the business community, our crackdown on informal economy will be much more difficult. That’s why I call upon them to access the Platform and contact the Ministry of Finance.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you! Mrs. Sadiku is the representative of a manufacturing enterprise which has been treated unfairly by a customs service directorate. We have invited her to share her experience and speak about the collaboration with the Ministry of State for the Protection of Entrepreneurship.
Mrs. Shukrie Sadiku: Hello everyone! I started my business from scratch and without a seed round. Working hard together with my kids, bit by bit we started growing and develop a business idea on building a beer brewing house. The idea of the brewing house was materialized on 4th May 2015 and I hosted a cocktail party to mark the event. However, 60 anti-smuggling officers came from nowhere. I asked them whether they were granted an authorization to carry out the inspection. Yes – they answered. They found a stock of around 1500 litres of beer. They asked me to provide due documentation and I did. We didn’t know that an authorization to sell beer was needed. It was the only document we lacked and we fined for selling beer and the anti-smuggling office filed charges with the Prosecutor’s Office. The Prosecutor’s Office closed the case. The case was then moved through the court system. The court ended the case. Finally, I decided to access the Platform and two hours later I received a phone call, telling me to address the Ministry of State for Protection of Entrepreneurship to solve my problem. I called the Minister on the same day. Two days later I was received by Alketa on behalf of the Minister and applied for the required documents and ultimately addressed my problem.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you very much. I will now give the floor to Sonila!
Minister of State for Protection of Entrepreneurship Sonila Qato: Thank you Mrs. Sadiku! Indeed, our office for Protection of Entrepreneurship handles a range of complex problems in collaboration with several ministries and other institutions. That’s why I would like to express appreciation to Mrs. Sadiku as one of the first entrepreneurs from Kukes who have accessed the Co-Governance Platform and trust the role of the Minister of State for Entrepreneurship. Indeed, we have dealt with her case as well as the issue of about 225 complainants who have accessed the Co-Governance Platform, of which about 197 of them are solved, but in fact the number of complaints our office has dealt with is much higher, because due to my daily activity and visits to businesses across Albania we take note their complaints and we continue to handle them consecutively and that’s because their number is much higher. However, just like it was the case concerning Mrs. Sadiku, the truth is that entrepreneurs are not adequately informed about their rights when dealing with public administration employees, who contact them and the obligations they should fulfil so that their business activities are legitimate and evade fines and other administrative punishments. That’s why we have included in our Platform an initiative proposed by a young boy, with whom we are working to raise awareness among entrepreneurs about the legal obligations they should fulfil, but also on reporting the corruption practices from the public administration employees, who dare to knock on business doors and cause so serious situations and so consequence to these ventures. Another crucially important aspect we continuously deal with together with other cabinet members is the fact that each of us here in this room wants to play a greater role in raising awareness of all our structures to rigorously enforce the law on public consultation. Thank you very much to Mrs. Sadiku! I urge every entrepreneur to trust the platform of co-governance to solve these problems.
PM Edi Rama: Many thanks Mrs. Minister! Now it’s the turn of the Ministry of Justice, which bears the heaviest burden of the interactions via the Platform, which, I reiterate, has no preferences and which discriminates and favours no one. Arben is here today to introduce a new case concerning the Immovable Property Registration Office and the Agency for Legalization and Urbanization of the Informal Areas and Buildings, ALUIZNI.
Mr. Arben Lila: Thank you! I come from Xhafzotaj, Durres. I have graduated from the Military Academy and I have been working for many years. I retired from army 3 years ago. I have suffered a lot while dealing with the Immovable Property Registration Office and the ALUIZNI in Durres. I am among the first to access the Co-Governance Platform and file a complaint against this institution. I applied for a legalization permit on 16th of June 2016 and since then the process has moved forward extremely slowly. I filed a complaint with the Central Office of the Immovable Property Registration. I also filed a complaint with the then Minister of Justice Ylli Manjani, but no one lifted a finger.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you! Actually, the reason why your case, a specific and incomplete one, has been already solved due to the fact that along with the process of providing and granting the rights to the citizens, a real battle is carried out by the Anticorruption Task Force and your case is one of the many similar cases investigated by the Task Force. The Justice Minister, who also heads the Anticorruption Task Force, will make a final summary of this meeting, referring not only aspects of work by the relevant institutions of the Ministry of Justice, but concerning also other aspects of the anticorruption task-force.
Minister of Justice Etilda Gjonaj: Thank you Mr. Prime Minister! Mr. Lila’s case is a typical case of the ping-pong of institutional procedures from various agencies. It is true that this case began in 2016, but a series of procedures have been carried out during September only to finally tackle the request for the property ownership certificate forwarded to the ALUIZNI office in Durres. Similar complaints that include a series of procedures and court decisions have been filed with the Ministry of Justice. These cases have also shown that several institutions are not committed to completely solving them and forge cooperation with other institutions in tackling property issues. A total of 6698 complaints have been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice via the Co-Governance Platform, the highest number compared to other ministries and 50% of them are related to the Immovable Property Registration Office and 30% of the complaints are filed over the legalization procedures of informal buildings. Worth noting is that despite the high number, a total of 6450 complaints have been processed, but we cannot say that all the 6450 complaints have been ultimately resolved. Only 3697 cases have been already tackled. Many other cases are being processed, because many of them require also amendments to the bylaws, or government decisions for the building plots, just like the case of Mr. Lila. However, the Ministry of Justice, thanks also to the great assistance from the co-governance platform coordinators, has solved these cases within the ten-day deadline. The due disciplinary actions have been imposed when these cases have not been addressed within this deadline. The Ministry of Justice has also received the highest number of administrative disciplinary actions against the officials and employees of these institutions. A total number of 255 disciplinary actions, mainly termination of employment, have been launched against the employees of these institutions. Likewise, a number of successful cases have been evidence, which, although having addressed a citizen’s complaint, disciplinary actions have been put in place against the state administration employees who have been tasked with addressing such issues, but they have failed to do so within the legal deadline. Often it seemed quite paradoxical that an employee faced disciplinary measures despite addressing a complaint. The Platform’s main objective is not only to provide citizens access to the government institutions and public services, but also to identify all alleged abuse of office cases by the public administration employees, which, just like the Prime Minister mentioned, is the main sores of the anticorruption task force. The Anticorruption Task Force became operational four months ago and it acts swiftly in conducting a series of inspection actions based on the denunciations and alleged corruption practices reported by citizens via the online Platform. A preliminary administrative investigation is also carried out by the co-governance coordinators in cases of abuse of office and procedures by public administration. All these alleged cases are then sorted out and an inspection action plan is then drafted and implemented by the anticorruption task force that verifies and looks into every reported corruption or abuse of office case. This was the case of Mr. Lila. More than 46 inspections have been carried out by the Anticorruption Task Force over past four months only and around 265 disciplinary actions against public administration officials and employees have been put in place during this period. The Anticorruption Task Force has filed charges with the Prosecutor’s Office against 28 employees. On one hand, the Platform addresses the citizens’ concerns and, on the other, the anti-corruption task force acts to punish and refer the alleged cases of corruption and abuse of office to the Prosecutor’s Office. The Anticorruption Task Force will continue profound administrative investigation into every case reported by the ordinary citizens via the Platform. We are working hard together with the Anticorruption Task Force and the Platform to address the citizens’ complaints, on the one hand, and to punish and refer to the Prosecutor’s Office those suspected of in involving in abuse of office and in the end it is the namely the administrative measures which restore the violated right in cases of abuse of office by the public administration, which may have come to the detriment of another citizen or to the detriment of the state. Similarly, there could also be cases when the legalization permits have been granted unlawfully and the anticorruption task force has discovered such cases and an administrative act has been issued to revoke all these illegally granted legalization certificates. I would conclude by availing myself of this opportunity – just like I do every Wednesday when I present a weekly report on the anti-graft fight results – to call upon all citizens to report every possible abuse of office and corruption practice via the Co-Governance Platform www.shqiperiaqeduam.al and the Anticorruption Task Force instantly launches investigations into the state institutions tasked with delivering public services to the citizens, including the healthcare and education institutions, environment inspectorates, food safety, tax investigation, customs and in every other state agency and institution.
PM Edi Rama: Thank you! I want to add something. We are now at a stage of reviewing legal aspects of the reform to overhaul the property title agencies. I believe that a merger between the Immovable Property Registration Office and the Agency for Legalization and Urbanization of the Informal Zones and Buildings into a single institution will put an end to the many odysseys similar to the one we just learned about during this meeting and we will be hearing each week here. At the meantime, I would like to express my appreciation for each and every one attending this meeting, for taking the trouble to travel and come here, because by doing so you provide a precious contribution to convey to every citizen the message that the Co-Governance Platform is yours, the Platform is the embodiment of our willingness to focus attention on your problems and concerns. Make use of the Platform! Test us! Join us and we will always be there to directly handle and tackle a problem, seemingly microscopic one when compared with Albania, but which, for you, is an individual and family problem and as such is a pretty serious problem.
Thank you very much again!
