Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Minister of State for the Reconstruction Arben Ahmetaj visited the town of Thumane in the Municipality of Kruja as work to construct the apartment buildings and private homes kicked off today as part of recovery and reconstruction program launched by the Albanian government in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that hit the country on November 26 last year.

Inspecting the ongoing construction works, State Minister for Reconstruction Ahmetaj explained to Premier Rama that demolition of the damaged buildings would clear the way to the area’s urban development. 

“There is a number of buildings and private homes that need to be torn down, but the owners will benefit full financial compensation according the Normative Act. However, these buildings should be demolished as they are part of the area’s mandatory development project,” Ahmetaj said.

All quake-affected families currently housed in tents or in rented houses will return to their new stronger and more decent homes they used to live in prior to the devastating earthquake.

 “Now, despite this invisible enemy emerged, we should to whatever it takes so that we successfully complete construction process before New Year. I think we won’t be able to complete construction of all new houses, but we will do utmost to make sure that construction of the majority of the private homes completes before the New Year’s Eve,” the Premier stated.

Construction of some 3400 individual private homes in the area will be coupled with development of the specific infrastructure around the homes, which will be built in tandem with the infrastructure of the multi-storey buildings.