The project for the road Qukës-Qafë Plloçë, part of the Corridor Tirana-Korçë (the 7th Corridor), a 152 million dollar investment, is being implemented on the ground. The project has been thoroughly redesigned, because the first project did not include any road connections among the villages, whereas now 120 bridges and subways have been envisaged for residents of the areas crossed by this road. In addition, road signs and all the necessary safety elements are made available within the same investment fund.
The 43.4 km road segment and the road Tirana-Elbasan are of a special importance for the Albanian economy because they will provide a faster and comfortable connection between the Port of Durres – the main port the country has today, and one of the most important ports in the Balkans for the volume of goods – with other countries such as Greece, Turkey, Macedonia, Bulgaria, ecc. In this way, the project transforms Albania in the most convenient country for transit from the Balkans to Europe and vice versa.
To follow closely the progress of works for this important infrastructure knot, Prime Minister Edi Rama was today in Korca, accompanied by Deputy PM Niko Peleshi, the Minister of Transports Edmond Haxhinasto, and local leaders and MPs.
Of particular importance for the development of the country, this road links Korca and Tirana, thus connecting the main engine of national growth with its eastern pole. The road links businesses and manufacturers in the areas of Korca, Pogradec, Librazhd and Elbasan with other major markets of the country.
The implementation of this project has a significant impact on the development of tourism, creating the premises for a sustainable development of the tourist area around the Lake of Pogradec. The road corridor will serve as a bypass for the town of Pogradec, thus increasing the tourism potential, as one of the tourist centres of southeaster Albania, in addition to eliminating pollution in the area around the lake and the city, due to the transition of heavy tonnage vehicles. The project improves significantly the movement, by reducing approximately 8 km the distance between the points connected by this road segment, as compared with the existing version. Meanwhile, the average speed of movement of vehicles will be increased due to the avoidance of heavy traffic along Pogradec.
The Albanian Road Authority leader, Dashamir Xhika, briefed the Prime Minister about some details of the project and on its progress for the construction of the first 15 kilometres. “We are now in the first segment, which is 15 kilometres long and 12.5 metres wide, and which has a large number of works of art. The fund for the project is 38 million dollars. We had an issue concerning the topography of the initial project, due to a level difference of 12 metres. The second phase includes the second lot, and a tunnel that is being built”.
Taking into account the specifics of the terrain, works managers informed the Prime Minister that in the previous project of 2011, any of the safety parameters were foreseen. “The project of 2011 has some flaws. It did not include any of the safety parameters.
The Prime Minister said that now the issue of road safety has been fully resolved in terms of parameters and standards. “People don’t get this, because they want things to be done immediately. But to have them done very quickly, we should start from the basis, and not go back to the foundations, otherwise the entire building can collapse”, the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister noted that the necessary measures have been taken to have this infrastructure project completed with all the defined parameters and standards. “One of the main problems of the project was that it was a street with a wall that could not be accessed by any of the people here. Not to mention, the corresponding damage to the economy and in terms of the social aspect. Measures have been taken to allow communities have access as it should be, with defined parameters and standards. In addition, with regard to the issue of irrigation, there are no damages and hindrances due to road”, the Prime Minister said.
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Another important investment for the region of Korca is the landfill of Maliq, which will collect the waste of 6 district municipalities for the next 20 years, starting from next year. Prime Minister Edi Rama, along with Deputy PM Niko Peleshi and the Minister of Transports and Infrastructure Edmond Haxhinasto, visited today the area where the landfill is being built, and inspected the progress of the investment.
Situated in an area of 19 hectares, and with an investment value of 5 million Euros, the new landfill will enable the closing down of more than 100 fields for the waste collection in the region of Korca, thus significantly reducing environmental pollution. Its capacity will be approximately 1 million m3 of waste, and will serve approximately 300,000 residents of the region. “Works have started for the first cell where waste will be deposited for 7 years, while another two cells will be built. The landfill will serve a total of 6 municipalities for a 20-year period”, the Mayor of Korç, Sotiraq Filo said, in addition to informing that the landfill activity will be expanded further with the recycling process.
The landfill of Maliq will be managed by a joint stock company among municipalities, thus creating the first model of a joint management. “The first model for the management of a landfill by a joint stock company where shareholders are all the municipalities. It took a long time to create the culture of corporate among municipalities, and now almost all the municipalities pay contributions regularly”- Deputy PM Peleshi informed.
The joint management scheme was supported by Prime Minister Rama as the proper way that strengthens the sense of enterprise and enhances the quality of service. “The model is the right one, and is an example for other areas so that municipalities, taking advantage of the territorial and administrative reform, connect with each other in order to reduce costs and increase the quality of service for the collection and processing of waste, and not only for this but also for aqueducts and other joint management schemes which give a greater sense of enterprise, and remove the terrible tradition of spending without criteria” – Prime Minister Rama said.
Part of the regional system for the waste management are three transfer stations in Pogradec, Devoll and Kolonje, to enable the transport of waste in the landfill of Maliq.
