The village of Thumane, one of the worst-hit areas by the November 26 earthquake two years ago, is reborn on the eve of the year-end holidays. A newly-built residential complex rebuilt over the ruins will now house 278 quake-affected families that are moving into safer and more comfortable new homes two years after the devastating natural disaster.
Prime Minister Edi Rama today visited Thumane to attend a ceremony to hand over new homes to the affected families as they usher in a new chapter of their life.
“From a grim crater of a devastating earthquake, Thumane is today is literally the embodiment of rebirth,” PM Rama said in his remarks at the ceremony attended by local residents.
* * *
First of all, allow me to gratefully thank the Archbishop newly-appointed by the Holy Father to spread the word of God among the faithful in our country, and I would like to specifically underline that I wish that the olive he already blessed – the one now planted high on the platform of the former water tank – be a blessing for life for all the residents who are gradually returning back to their home, to Thumane that used to be a grim crater triggered by a devastating earthquake, as it caused the highest number of casualties today, but it is now the epitome of a rebirth and renaissance in the truest sense of the word.
I am also grateful to all of those who worked here, all the workers, engineers and architects, the Albanian Development Fund for their incredible commitment and admirable professionalism took this very tough process forward to create this view, which was just unimaginable two years ago when the natural disaster struck Thumane tragically.
I am also grateful to those who joined us in this effort, from Behgjet Pacolli, who has left indelible mark of his kindness and solidarity in one of these buildings, and to the Albanians for Albanians foundation, led by Elvis Naçi, who have left eternal mark of their solidarity with the people by building the single-family homes for the quake-affected families here near this residential complex that was built for those affected by that disaster through the Albanian government full support and funding.
So it was a unification of forces and energies that I am proud for having decisively led, as well as for the outcomes we are all witnessing in a not at all easy time, not only because of the huge wounds it inflicted and which take their time to heal in the wake of what we were through two years ago, but also because of another severe wound that suddenly we sustained as we had just embarked on the path to reconstruction, namely the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a dark cloud still hanging over our heads.
Here we are today and I am very proud of the fact that these children, mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers comprise the initial group of the quake-affected families about to move into their new homes today, whereas the rest of families set to reside in this newly-built complex of buildings will celebrate New Year’s Eve together in brand new homes, ones that have nothing to do with the old dwellings they lost in the earthquake two years ago. They will be living in more beautiful, more resilient and comfortable homes, which are part of a residential complex that forms a community with all private and public services fully guaranteed. These are spaces where together with the Municipality of Kruje we will create more opportunities that nobody has ever imagined such opportunities would be ever provided to residents and the children in this community prior to the earthquake.
So, the transformation of this very old derelict water reservoir, a ramshackle object hovering like a ghost over the peoples’ heads in that town so hard hit by the earthquake and which couldn’t withstand the tremor because of the totally battered homes and inappropriate apartment buildings, but which is being transformed today into a monument in memory of those who perished, as well as a monument of the undying hope for the future, for the hope that is renewed by the peoples’ efforts, I think represents a very strong reason to believe in the future and it resembles the whole transformation we are trying to bring about throughout Albania, which resembled that very old water reservoir just a few years ago, but which we are gradually transforming while overcoming so much difficulties, obstacles and continuously taking firm steps forward.
On the other hand, I feel relieved that the young boys and girls in Thumane are now attending their classes in a school facility totally rebuilt in line with the optimum standards, along with the kids who now have their own kindergarten, whereas the entire local community has been made available a whole modern infrastructure in a residential neighbourhood, much an envied one in Tirana too, featuring so many public spaces among the buildings and wide roads and streets allowing for free movement of people within the residential complex, the green spaces which will further expand and be enriched in the coming years, and a huge sports complex right at the town’s heart, as well as playground for children we have already designed and about which we are jointly working with local government authorities in Kruja so that in addition to the sports grounds for somehow older children, a particular space becomes a kids-themed playground to serve also as a meeting point for grandmothers and grandfathers while accompanying their nieces and nephews.
This is a beautiful moment to talk a bit more about the future. I remember that despair, tears, pessimism and grave distrust had overcome everyone on those tough days and when I stated we were going to built back Thumane stronger and more beautiful many ridiculed me, many condemned me and many didn’t think twice but saying: “this is what every politician has said and this is what he will do. He will forget us immediately after having met us in front of the cameras.” But I don’t recall how many times I have personally toured this area since the disaster struck and I have repeatedly stated that this neighbourhood, this town will become a tourist destination, because this area is home to an amazing lake and landscape around this whole residential complex, which includes single-family homes too, which will start opening their doors soon, as we have been informed by the head of the Albanians for Albanians foundation. This wonderful area will soon become available to this community as an added value through creation of service and recreational centres for all of the visitors from Tirana and elsewhere, who wish to spend a weekend here.
No matter how strange it may sound, this is really less strange than it might have sounded when we pledged full reconstruction of the area, but it will no longer be strange but a reality in a few years. It will be a tangible fact for us, for local residents and for all of those who through their vision and courage will start mulling plans to turn those old family homes further away into facilities to welcome visitors and accommodate them for several days.
On the other hand, thanks to its location Thumane is also part of a space where a major project of this decade will be built and which is set to kick off within this term in office or hopefully by early 2023, namely the Blue Corridor. The new highway, which will traverse through Murriqan, Milot, Thumane, Kashar, Rrogozhine and Fier, where it will connect to the other motorway and the Vlora bypass road.
It is an indispensable road infrastructure project, considering that the existing road between Shkodra, Lezhe and Tirana cannot handle the traffic. It is a road that despite the constant upgrading, better maintenance and despite all the investments already made, it cannot handle the large traffic flow along it and therefore constructing a new highway is a must, as it is set to become the biggest national road infrastructure work ever built in the Republic of Albania and as such it will affect whole country and will have a significant impact on the country’s economy. The new highway will definitely offer significant advantages to the residential areas adjacent to it, including Thumane.
I don’t want to take up any more of your time, but I would remark on the post-earthquake reconstruction program as a significant progress has been made if we are to take into account all the efforts we had to made in order to arrange all the funding with the Albanian government having taken the largest share of this burden and I am saying this for all of those who think that whatever they see is actually an outcome of the pledges and funds provided by our international partners, but most of them are government-financed projects, and of course a good part of them are funded through the assistance provided by the international partners, who have taken over some parts of the reconstruction projects, but most of them are funded by the government of Albania and I am very proud of it. But in addition to funding, the efforts to settle the situation regarding the property ownership issues, to tackle all the property disputes, because many of the collapsed or damaged buildings were associated with property disputes, as well as to address the housing issues, not only for those living under the same roof, but also for many families living under the same roof, providing these families two or three new homes. In the meantime, no comparison can be drawn between the newly-built houses and the old ones lost in the earthquake. The reconstruction projects have brought many families closer to the residential areas, creating new communities like the one here, and allowing these families to come closer to residential areas, while they can now use the land area where their old houses once stood for agricultural purposes.
Unlike in any other country, all these new houses are provided to all the entitled families for free.
The post-earthquake reconstruction processes are normally followed by agreements between the government and the affected families, with the state certainly taking over to build their homes, but with the affected families having to pay a soft loan over the years. But all the affected Albanian families will move into their new homes and the property ownership certificates will be handed over to each and every one of them without paying a single cent.
Understandably, you should keep an eye on your door locks, as who knows, but anyway even if things change in the coming years, you would have just to change the locks’ paint colour, because they can’t take your homes away.
In the meantime, I would like to tell all those who have yet to move into their new homes and will spend this New Year’s Eve – and they are mostly quake-affected families in Durres and Tirana, although a small number of single-family homes have yet to be built in certain areas after the government has provided due compensation grants – that they would have to wait some more time, because while enviously looking at Thumane, they should not forget that a much larger residential complex is being built to house a much bigger number of affected residents. So, we completed reconstruction in Thumane, the process has completed in Valias too, as it was about building smaller residential complexes, and we will soon construct the planned residential complexes in Kombinat and May 5 neighbourhoods, which are huge complexes and pose more complex problems.
All those who claim that reconstruction took too long, I would suggest them to contact their friends, family members and cousins living and working in the neighbouring Italy and ask them how long is taking for quake-affected families in Italy, the world’s fifth largest economy, to move into their new homes, because many of these families are still waiting for their houses to be rebuilt 12 or 15 yars after the earthquakes that hit the country.
I don’t like to draw comparisons and claim we are doing better, but I would like to note this: if reconstruction has taken much longer in other countries, one of the reasons why the reconstruction process is progressing so fast here is that reconstruction is part of our everyday work and we make efforts to address the reconstruction-related issues on daily basis together with the Deputy Prime Minister, constantly monitoring every project, from the residential complexes like this one to the single-family homes for the affected families.
To this end, I am asking nothing, but some more patience to be shown by all of those impatiently waiting to move into their new homes. They will have to wait a little bit more.
We will do whatever it takes to make sure that next year will be the year when we will ultimately heal all the wounds inflicted by the earthquake and make sure such rebirth models like this one are built in every quake-hit area, so that every affected family sees their dreams and hopes come true.
Praying that the earthquake victims are never forgotten and by reiterating the most heartfelt condolences to all the families for their beloved ones, with the wish that their memory will be eternal and the life of all those who have left behind to be long and healthy and wish today to all of you and those who are watching us, regardless of beliefs or regardless of how they may all be atheists, merry Christmas and I believe it’s an omen in itself that Thumane rebirth and ignition of lights today will be followed by other and other lights during the day, is the most beautiful parable of celebrating a Christmas vigil.
God bless Thumane!
God bless Albania!
