Prime Minister Edi Rama’s remarks during presentation of new Law on Civil Protection:

Hello everyone!

I would like to thank the Ministry of Defense and the rain drops that complement the setting for this event dedicated to the Civil Defense Department, which, without any exaltation, I believe it has moved to another level and evidence are there for everyone to see the significant change in terms of approach and effectiveness of the state’s reaction in event of emergencies or natural disasters. It is worth mentioning, without any exaltation again, that the Minister of Defense, the Deputy Minister of Defense, and the Director of the Civil Defense deserve a special gratitude for finalizing a not so easy transition and reform of the Civil Emergencies system under the Ministry of Defense.

It is a fact that from the very earliest moment of the transfer, although operating under an insufficient legal framework and although operating and acting in terms of more improvisation and greater willingness than logistical and sufficient opportunities, we have scored very encouraging results. Such results I believe have been achieved also thanks to the teams involved in the dramatic moments of the Civil Emergencies, their superiors, and all the constituent elements in these difficult operations.

Moreover, the Ministry of Defense has been very prudent and has adopted a strategic approach not only in terms of emergency response, but also in emergency prevention actions. However, it is undisputable that along with the transfer and confirmed will to take the state’s entire response capacities to civil emergencies to a whole new level, drafting a new legal framework has been indispensable from the very onset and it has been the focus of work and efforts by everyone with a role to play in giving opinions and formulation of the lawmaking process.

Today we can openly state that a new legal framework is in place and ready to be adopted once final discussions on this legislation piece complete, along with a national strategy to mitigate natural disaster risks as an essential document on overall disaster risk management. Making daily efforts in order to be ready to prevent and cope with any potential emergency situation remains a challenge. The daily efforts should focus on continued preparations to prevent, to cope and heal all weak links and forge all chain links that should ensure continuous risk mitigation.

We inherit a grave situation that can’t be addressed immediately. Everything that has been done with the country’s territory in decades of the long and chaotic transition, when everything took place under the slogan “every man for himself and God for us all,” have significantly weakened the normal defense and protection capacities of the country’s entire structure. However, the new law offers reasons for optimism, as it clearly defines responsibilities along a well-defined chain of roles and provides basis for the daily efforts to build prevention capacities.

The civil emergency plans will be mandatory both for the state and private institutions, including education and health system, social welfare, tourism and environment and the law envisages clear sanctions on every institution or private company, as the inspection mechanism is stipulate by the law. It is no longer tolerable that people dig their own grave in terms of ignoring natural disaster risks and when the latter happens they ask the state to take them out of that grave. It can no longer happen that someone damages the sewerage system in order to build an entrance of a wedding party and events facility surrounded by palm trees and then complain why the state ruined the wedding ceremony when the natural disaster happens.

Such examples are countless. Similarly, the local government units cannot be inattentive and even irresponsible just like an owner of a wedding party facility is.

The National Civil Defence Agency, which is being founded as a well-structured and affirmed model over the years, will operate under direct supervision of the Minister of Defence and will work primarily to mitigate the natural disaster risks and then strengthen capacities and response effectiveness.

The Agency will be granted higher authority and more power that the General Directorate of the Civil Emergencies used to have to date. It will have greater administrative, technical and financial capacities, broader responsibilities and competencies. As such, the Agency will serve as the relevant body to deal with such a vital, national, but also international mission, considering the whole necessary interaction with the counterpart agencies. The goal of the agency is also to boost cooperation with the countries in the region and, on the other hand, lay the basis for voluntarism in community, just like it is the case in the civilized world when it comes to efforts to cope with the civil emergencies.

Today we know quite well that the European Commission plays a key role in coordinating shared response to natural disasters affecting Europe through an effective civil defence mechanism and the more we involve and engage in the network of these institutions, the more support we will enjoy in the case of the need for solidarity from others.

The new law represents another steps towards aligning the country’s legislation with several important directives and decisions of the European Union, but it is important that we also align the country with the Union’s standards for civil defence mechanism.

To conclude, I would like to sincerely thank each and every one of those who have contributed to this new legal framework and assure everyone, first of all the officials of this new agency, all teams for the utmost government support to effectively boost capacities and responsibilities.

Voicing confidence that a whole new chapter awaits to be written together with the Ministry of Defence, the prefectures, municipalities and the community – and we will write this chapter with dignity – I would like to thank you all for attending this event.

Thank you very much!