The family of Naim Myftari in the village of Sauk, a Tirana suburb, became homeless and lived under open skies following a powerful earthquake that hit the country in September last year, but their life is now back to normality as they moved into the newly-built home. Four members of this family are now back to a worry-free and tranquil life as they were put in a new home which offers optimum and much better housing and living conditions than the family’s previous house.

Prime Minister Edi Rama was the guest of Myftari family, where, accompanied by the Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj, he handed over the key to the new house to Myzejen, the lady of the house, wishing the family members for much happier days in the new home, which will also be part of a neighbourhood that is set to undergo an urban rehabilitation plan. “We are rehabilitating the entire neighbourhood. The urbanization of this part is underway, as it has been a largely an informal area,” Mayor Veliaj said.

The Premier pledged that the reconstruction process, which is already underway with projects in all quake-affected areas, will make houses better than they used to be previously. “So, all houses will be built one by one. The affected families in rural areas, who face worse conditions as they live in tents since they are unwilling to abandon their land, will have their new homes built first. They will move into new houses within year, or they will see their homes about to complete within this year. Others’ houses will be built gradually, because the houses in cities require larger projects as it is about apartment buildings,” the Premier said.