Statement of the State Minister for Local Affairs Bledi Çuçi released today after the Council of Ministers meeting:

Today, the Council of Ministers approved the project for the new administrative and territorial division, based on the proposal made by the Special Parliamentary Committee.

Our position towards the Administrative and Territorial Reform is clear, in support of the proposal by the Committee. The project for the new division, with 61 municipalities which have emerged after a detailed analysis of each of their functionalities based on the criteria adopted by the Committee for this purpose.

Along with the report and favorable opinion for division, the Council of Ministers will send to the Assembly all accompanying materials dealing and associated with the functional analysis of all municipalities proposed for the new map, as well as full documentation related to the consultation process, carried out in the entire country. It has been a colossal work commissioned by the Special Committee for Territorial Reform. We are ready now to submit to the Committee everything, in order to continue the process of decision in plenary session for the new Administrative and Territorial Map.

 

Were the UHRP remarks taken into consideration? They publicly asked to review the position regarding Himara.

Regarding Himara, our decision was clear:

Himara is one of the 58 functional areas that are created in Albania. For us Himara is part of Albania, as are the functional areas from Shkodra to Konispol, except three minority areas which, due to the criteria we ourselves have set, have maintained minority affiliation. Himara is one part of the 58 functional areas and is designed to function as a future municipality.

Our position with regard to this has been and remains clear.

Thank you!