The eastern entrance gate to the Albanian capital of Tirana, a major infrastructure project set to complete ahead of schedule, was opened to the traffic. The segment, part of Tirana Ring Road project, will significantly ease traffic and will further drive development of the area that has been thriving over the past few years.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, also the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, and the Director of the Albanian Road Authority Evis Berberi, inspected the quality of work on construction of this road segment. Installing traffic signs, lighting system and greenery and construction works in accordance to the European standard will improve not only movement, but will also provide a fresh impetus to the area’s development.

“Over 85% of the construction works have completed. The road is not being opened temporarily, but permanently. The State Police have taken over the oversight of the road and minor works remain to be done, including lighting, greenery and construction of the parallel and access roads, whose construction is set to complete on schedule as stipulated under the contract. This is a very important segment given its functions as it connects the road with the eastern ring, with motorists no longer obliged to take the roundabout to Elbasan and the traffic will no longer be blocked. It also serves this area, where an economic hub has been already developed. The new road will give a fresh breath to the traffic. The drive time will also be shortened significantly, with access to all other parts of the Big Ring Road, a very complex project also in terms of the expropriations and the compensation we are providing to the property owners affected by the project in the area,” the Deputy Prime Minister Balluku said.

“As to construction of the Tirana Ring Road, work is progressing at a satisfactory rate along five segments of the road project. The work is also underway on construction of two segments in the area of Paskuqan and the Veterinary Research Institute, as well as in the area of Shkoze neighbourhood. The project has been quite complex in terms of the expropriation and compensation process as the area is home of combined formal and informal buildings. Kamze municipality is performing well in terms of the expropriation process, as owners of only 10 out of 130 unauthorized and non-legalized buildings that have refused to sign the due agreement with the Municipality to benefit a three-year rental bonus and social housing under the Council of Ministers’ decision. Progress has also been made with the expropriation process,” the Head f the Albanian Road Authority Evis Berberi said.

Speaking about the expropriation and compensation process as part of the development projects, the government head stated that nobody would be allowed to take work and the city’s development hostage.

“The thing is that nobody can take the project hostage. The compensation formula is a very positive one and we are enforcing this formula for some years now, because we are seeking to promote social housing, we want to promote all our solidarity approach with all the social categories, with nobody being thrown out on the street. This was the case with the families at May 5 neighbourhood, who were presented with a generous offer of solidarity, although the majority of them had built totally illegally and possessed no ownership documents of whatsoever. However, they were initially granted rental bonus and they will be all provided social housing as soon as construction of the new apartment and residential buildings completes, after being included on a list that has certainly some priorities. Nobody can’t say “I don’t want this or that.” This is not the way things work. If you are to ask the majority of those who hamper such developments, they realize how much time they have wasted and how distressful it has all been for their families. But they have all settled now and due contracts have been signed with them. We can’t keep the city hostage just for the sake of certain individuals, who think that by resorting to the harsh rhetoric, although having violated the law, they can hinder development. They are just hostages being used for the latest political debate,” he said.