Prime Minister Edi Rama held a meeting today with the mayors of the country’s municipalities and the leaders and employees of the State Cadastre Agency to discuss the acceleration and monitoring of the legalization process, which is a priority for both central and local governance.
Supported by the government’s decision to cooperate and coordinate the work process between the ASHK and the 61 municipalities of the country to complete the legalization process across the entire territory, the Prime Minister requested the commitment of the municipalities in this process. This commitment will not only strengthen the efforts to support and solve the legalization issues for the citizens, but will also serve to monitor the work in the Cadastre.
Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Speech:
Today we are here to communicate with you about the need to start the work based on the government’s decision, which was taken as a result of a discussion initiated together during the meeting we held in Shkodra with all the mayors, spurred on by several PS deputies, the first and most vocal among them being Erion Braçe. This decision was made necessary due to the fact that, while we have a positive progress in the registration of properties in the Cadastre, the same cannot be said for the legalization part. For these reasons that you are aware of, it has been decided that the municipalities will be involved in the process.
The involvement of municipalities in the process is of particular importance and benefit, not only because it will strengthen efforts to support and solve the legalization issue for the citizens, but also because it will serve to monitor the work in the Cadastre, which, in the area of legalizations, leaves much to be desired. In this context, municipalities will set the priorities and determine the pace of the work plan for the local legalization office. This process will be led by you with a dedicated staff that you will create by September, when this process will begin, also thanks to the assistance that AKSHI is providing to ASHK to have a digital work platform. This system will create a mechanism for transparency and accountability between parties. We all need to be aware that beyond the fact that the law foresees the completion of this process by 2028, we, first of all, for the citizens’ residences, must do everything to speed up the process and above all to establish a very clear order of the requested timelines. This is crucial, because it is unfair and unacceptable that some people have been waiting for years while others, who applied later, have already obtained legalization.
Of course, everyone is entitled to it, but you have the primary duty to set the order and follow it, prioritizing the legalization of residences. I believe we are clear on this because it is also a rightful demand from you, but on the other hand, this requires a special focus from you, personally as the elected leaders of the municipalities.
There are several municipalities with a small number of requests, and there is no reason in the world for people in these municipalities to still be waiting for their residences. Meanwhile, for buildings constructed without permits that require legalization for business purposes, they can wait, but the residents and their homes come first.
The process we conducted and are continuing in Himarë and Theth, and which is progressing in several other areas with somewhat different problems, shows that if we coordinate and focus, this process moves quickly.
I should take the opportunity, since not only the major municipalities are present, but also others, as this year’s tourism map shows, the trend of tourist flows going beyond the sea and exploring areas that until recently were not even imagined to host tourists. It is very important that today you are all aware that there is an organized attack to damage Albanian tourism.
I have spoken with the mayors of coastal municipalities; they are all shocked and scandalized by many videos, fake news, manipulated comments, made intentionally to suggest that no one has come here.
Of course, the facts on the ground are different and it is not our main concern to deal with those who are part of this organized attack coming from several directions. The fact is that our security systems have raised the red flag of cyber security.
Many fake profiles are used for this attack, but this is one side of the coin that serves another purpose, to understand that last year’s blossoming of Albanian tourism in the eyes of the world also brought new, increasingly complex challenges involving all elements. Just a few days ago, the European Travel Commission issued a ranking showing Albania in the first place with an 86% increase in tourist flow, followed by Serbia with 48%, Montenegro with 31%, Greece with 22%, and Turkey with 20%. Meanwhile, many Western countries are seeing a decline for all the reasons that do not need to be commented on.
On the other hand, part of this attack is also a very low attempt to say that Kosovo Albanians have abandoned Albania. The fact is, from January to June, there have been 1.7 million entries of Kosovo citizens, or 25% more than last year. Meanwhile, looking at others, last year we were pleasantly surprised by the influx of Italians. Until June, there have been 486,000 Italians or 57%. There is a strong increase in Turkish tourists, 61% from last year, followed by Polish tourists at 74%, who were among the first to come to Albania and have exceeded 100,000 by June. Meanwhile, Tirana airport is unable to give landing permits to charter planes because there is no space for 24 hours and to land a charter at Tirana airport, you must notify 3 days in advance and book 3 days in advance, which, of course, will be addressed because intensive work has begun at Tirana airport to expand the runway, parking spaces, and the opening of Vlorë airport.
The government and municipalities do not set prices; this is very clear. This is the system we have chosen, and we cannot set the prices of hotels, restaurants, or control them. But in Vlorë, Ermal, in Sarandë, Olti, where there are two points of absurd price increases, it is very important to talk to the hotel operators.
It is very important to talk and tell them that this is not only unfair, but maybe in the conditions of capitalism, the word unfair is not perceived by those who want to profit. However, this is a strategically suicidal strategy for them.
It must be communicated that the illogical price increase comes with a very high cost next year because if it were so easy, the whole world would have done this. Some parts have done it and then learned bitter lessons, but they learned them late. Therefore, before it is too late, it is very important to communicate continuously that prices must be reasonable.
Meanwhile, look at Durrës, Shëngjin, Velipojë; stable. Of course, the Vlora people are the apple of this quarrel; it is known, because now that Vlora has become so sought after and competitive from the perspective of what it represents, the hole in the chest of the Vlora people has opened and has become a hole where those who raise those prices to such an extent will fall themselves. They will fall into the hole in their chest.
I do not feel sorry for them, but it is completely unfair and shameful to create an absurd climate at a time when we have just entered the Champions League of Mediterranean tourism to start stammering. Bulgaria did this sport many years ago and paid for it; it took years to return to where it was because.
So, it is good that they understand, and maybe with this language, since these words are more tolerated from me than from others, they will come down to earth a bit. Vlora people cannot come down to earth if you ask them to, but at least they can come down to the second floor.
The next important point is public beaches.
There is also a great confusion here because I have been in contact with all of you. The public beaches are there. The public beach of Sarandë is known worldwide to be right along the entire city line, managed by the Sarandë municipality, completely free for everyone.
Meanwhile, we have started to study the interventions made by Spain, Portugal, France, and Turkey recently in this aspect, and next year we will have to make another intervention regarding public spaces on the beach in a somewhat more aggressive nature. But it is very important that even in this point, the municipalities are at the forefront of the work regarding communication.
Another point is cleaning. It is better than last year; last year was better than the year before, but still, it needs constant oversight. I have become repetitive by bringing the example of the Lezha police in the municipality, but it is a fact; you can’t do anything about it. It is a mirror of cleanliness. Meanwhile, progress has been made everywhere, but it must be understood that it is not just about the beaches; it is also within the country.
Koman Lake is cleaned every two weeks with many forces; we will also send the army to clean it, but this story that residents throw and the army cleans cannot continue indefinitely.
The northern area is experiencing an extraordinary tourism boom; we all know this. Now we will invest in the Koman road as it is its turn, but the lake being filled every two weeks with garbage thrown along the roads as if they are ashamed to throw it where it should be thrown and therefore throw it where it should not be thrown, should stop.
These were the points I had to add here, and concluding with the legalizations, I ask you very much, especially the municipalities with a high intensity of work to do, to build the staff, to be in continuous communication with the minister, who will be the chief coordinator of this work to coordinate the municipalities, the Cadastre, AKSHI, and everyone should be ready in September when this process will start to be implemented.
What does it mean to be ready? It means having all the priorities; you need to get complete information from the Cadastre, meanwhile, you need to create the groups, the time categories according to the application calendar to set the priorities and start the work for this. 2028 is very far away!
We need to set a goal for ourselves to complete this process by the end of 2026, not by the end of 2028. However, for residences, no one prevents us from making all the necessary registrations, and I have great confidence that the increased force of the municipalities will bring significant results. To say it to the end, Armando, because you are one of the most vocal on this issue and rightly so that the municipality has not been able to assist in legalizations due to the reasons we know, and now with the government decision, it is very important that you first point out to the minister directly all those things that are not going well in the Cadastre, regarding legalizations along with the characters who then rightfully become subjects of the citizens. It is very, very important that everyone understands that they are all monitored in legalizations, not just by the general directorate, but they are monitored by you, the municipalities, and this is not about gossip; it is about addressing facts because it is unacceptable that when people complain to me and when I forward the complaint to the institution, 90% of the issues are resolved in two days. Why? It means they can be resolved! It means there is no proper work order, and the proper work order should be set by you, each municipality, the legalization office, and the legalization office in each municipality is not an office that will legalize because the Cadastre will do the legalization in the end. The legalization office in the municipality is the office that will assist the citizens, deal with the issue, follow up, tell them here you have it, legalize it because it is ready. People should not be waiting, measurements should be done, there should be lists posted with schedules, people will come and do the measurements, etc., you only receive the report and anything that does not go well, you will report to the minister.
This is how it should function because this is a matter of immovable property; no one touches their house, but when the house is registered, it is a property they can use, to sell, to rent, etc., but also to inherit normally, without the worry of what will happen.
