Work continues at a faster and intense rate to reconstruct the quake-damaged houses of the households that become homeless on the tragic night of Nov 26 last year. Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by Tirana Mayor Erjon Veliaj, and the Minister of State for Reconstruction Arben Ahmetaj, today visited one of the quake-affected families in Petrele village that moved into the newly-built house offering improved and much better living space and housing conditions than the dwellings that were either destroyed or sustained serious damages due to the powerful earthquake last year.

“This is one of the houses that sustained severe damages due to the September earthquake and was reduced to rubble due to the much more powerful quake in November,” Tirana Mayor Veliaj said. Work is underway day and night to make sure that all quake-affected families move into their new houses as soon as possible. Reconstruction of the new family homes will provide new and much better living space and quality conditions than the homes that collapsed due to the earthquake.

PM Rama noted that earthquake left tragic and destructive effects, yet it made possible for many families to have a new house. “What happened to you and many other people was terrible, but it is now gone. My grandma used to say that sometimes the bad things that happen do not always lead us to the worst things. So, you have now moved  into a better, stronger and more beautiful house,” the government head said, underlining that same standards will be applied to all new houses being built.