Prime Minister Edi Rama’s remarks at the signing ceremony the agreement on building 500 new houses for quake-affected families:
Good afternoon everyone!
We are here to sign the cooperation agreement on reconstruction. As it was already announced at a press conference with all cabinet members a day ago, we are now starting the second stage of this project and we have come to this very signing moment that clears the way for the implementation of this cooperation program.
There are 500 houses that will be built by the friends coming from Turkey under the President Erdogan’s instructions and we have picked the town of Laç where the construction will take place and where we believe that through this project we are paving the way for a radical transformation in view of our main goal to make sure that people who lost their homes will return to live in much home better houses than those they lost due earthquake.
This is not only the replacement of damaged buildings, but it will also bring about a significant transformation of the whole urban situation in the area. That’s why we and the Turkish Minister explored ways for a broader plan, with the agency involved in implementing this project will build these 500 houses on one hand, and the Albanian Development Fund to engage in developing the entire urban infrastructure and public spaces. We have also discussed ways to ultimately address a long inherited flooding problem residents in the area of Laç face every year, mainly due to clogged storm inlets and the main collector. So, it is quite a complex problem where the two sides will do their part and jointly will succeed in creating one of the most significant examples of this rebuilding program within a very short time.
I would like to thank and express gratitude to the Minister and the accompanying extended delegation, which includes representatives from all Turkish structures specializing in developing social construction programs in the Republic of Turkey!
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An agreement was signed by the Minister of State for Reconstruction and the Turkish Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum on building 500 houses in the town of Laç for families affected by the 6.4-magnitude earthquake that hit the country on Nov. 26 last year. Attending the ceremony, Prime Minister Edi Rama said that this important project envisages not only the replacement of damaged buildings, but also a significant transformation of the whole urban situation in the area.
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Following the signing ceremony, PM Edi Rama and Turkish Minister Murat Kurum visited the site in Laç where the construction of a new residential neighbourhood will take place to replace the old apartment buildings, featuring a modern underground and overground infrastructure.
Prime Minister Rama, accompanied by the Mayor of Kurbin, visited Tanushi family, currently sheltered in a rented house until their new home is built. This family, like many other hard-hit families in the town of Laç, is one of the first ones to benefit the rental housing bonus. Tanushi family members said they were pleased with the comfort and decent living conditions in their temporary house.
The government head that utmost efforts are underway to deliver on the rebuilding projects as soon as possible and not only that. Reconstruction of new residential neighbourhoods would transform the town of Laç into a tourist attraction too. “Today we met with the Turkish Minister of Environment and Urbanization. The first to be built are the apartment houses that were demolished after sustaining severe damages. Our ambition is to build the new homes as soon as possible and I am confident that by end of summer, or by beginning of September at most, you will all move into a new house. The new houses will provide much better living conditions than the old ones and a very beautiful neighbourhood will be built in this area. We have worked hard and very quickly in designing the construction projects, because a single project normally takes six months. We are working to shorten the designing time by engaging a large number of architects and designers. We will then continue to build the urban infrastructure and a project to eventually address the terrible problem that the town of Laç faces due to the floods. We will take advantage of the natural disaster to emerge better and stronger. As many as three million people visit the renowned Laç church. These people haven’t stayed in Laç due to the lack of accommodation capacities, but the transformation we are going to bring about will turn Laç into a tourist destination,” the Premier said.
