Greetings. First of all, I would like to thank all the women who work every day in the Municipality of Përrenjas here, and also those from Librazhd, I believe, as well as everyone else present. Exemplary men who have given the front row to the women.

For all those who are following us, today we came together with the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy and with Mr. Demo, the Minister for Local Government, who for those who may not yet know him led the Municipality of Berat for many years and now takes care of the smooth functioning of relations between the government and the municipalities; together with Arbi Mazniku, the Member of Parliament and political leader of the Elbasan region, with the Director of the Albanian Road Authority, and with the Director of the Institute of Geology.

I would like to thank the mayors present here, the mayors of Elbasan, Librazhd and Përrenjas, for the hospitality. The purpose of this visit was first to see up close and to show the public that open wound of about 150 meters that has caused all this concern, but which has also produced an extraordinary torrent of mud, generated by the machinery of political and media mud that has shaken all the 700 pots with all kinds of slander, accusations, and fantasies, claiming that supposedly the road collapsed because of corruption. Meanwhile, it is very clear that this segment is the old segment, and the landslide, as the Director of the Institute will explain to you and to the public, is linked to an entirely natural phenomenon.  

In this area, you also have a legendary representative of yours who is not present because he has now taken responsibility for all the territories where Albanians live abroad, Taulant Balla, who told me from the very beginning that this area has historically had problems with landslides because of its geology.

Nevertheless, in the end, the truth always emerges and prevails. It only requires patience and perseverance to continue moving forward. I regret that this situation occurred and caused much concern and disrupted the rhythm of life for many residents. But in any case, we are here today also to clarify a work calendar and the new deadlines we have set for ourselves, and with God’s help, during a period when we will no longer have on our backs the heavy rains of this winter, which is finally coming to an end.

Thank you once again. I would first like to give the floor to the Director of the Albanian Road Authority, then to the Director of the Institute of Geology, and afterwards, the minister will speak about his engagement and the engagement of the Ministry in a somewhat broader aspect than simply this problem, because Corridor 8 is a strategic axis that is finally becoming a reality. It has been talked about, but now we are making it a reality, placing Albania in a different position. The reasons for this we will explain in the conclusions of this meeting. Meanwhile Mr. Demo here is also, as I said, our reliable and tireless liaison to guarantee that communication and interaction between the government and the municipalities, including in this area, remains uninterrupted.  

Director, please give us a presentation from your side, and afterward the Director of the Institute.

***

Director of the Albanian Road Authority, Ami Kozeli

Thank you, Prime Minister.

The problem in the Arrat e Gurës area was first identified on the 19th, when we noticed a deterioration of the crack that had occurred on the road axis, specifically on the old road segment, the existing one. We immediately took measures to regulate traffic through a temporary traffic light.

At the same time, we opened a small emergency lane so that traffic could continue in two lanes. However, the deterioration continued while we maintained continuous 24-hour monitoring, and on the 23rd, we completely closed traffic.

We were in emergency conditions, and I take this opportunity to thank all the staff of the Road Authority, because this measure was initially criticised, with people asking: “Why are you blocking the road?” But it was the right measure, and it was taken on time. Work began immediately to restore traffic flow.

The first measure was the diversion of the river flow so that it would no longer strike the body of the road below the railway. I would like to continue the discussion we started earlier: there has been no extraction of aggregates in the segment where the landslide occurred, and this is very important to state because this is the truth. The extraction of aggregates occurred further away; the river was flowing naturally in the segment where the landslide happened, and we were dealing with continuous river erosion.

Therefore, one of the first measures decided by the Technical Council, together with the Road Authority, was the diversion of the river’s flow. After that, we continued with relieving the collapsed road mass. Over these ten days of work carried out 24 hours a day by the contractor, I personally, together with the engineers of the Road Authority, was present on the site twice a day, at midday and in the evening.

During this period, 71 cubic meters of material were removed from the landslide area. At the same time, following the recommendation of the Albanian Geological Service, we conducted drillings which helped us identify several underground water pockets that had formed there, both shallow and deep. Measures were taken again to drain and regulate these underground waters. Meanwhile, the contractor continued with work to regulate surface waters.

Within ten days, for which I thank the citizens who showed understanding and saw that we were working continuously to restore traffic as soon as possible, we succeeded in reopening traffic.

This situation caused the suspension of work for Corridor 8 only on this segment of about 150 meters, possibly slightly longer. In height and width, we have suspended works only in this part, while works in all other phases continue normally according to the work plan.  

 

***

Director of the Albanian Geological Service, Adrian Bylyku:

Greetings to everyone. I will provide a brief overview, as suggested by the Prime Minister, explaining the phenomenon that occurred and then presenting the perspective of the geological work we have begun in order to provide a detailed study with the most important data for the continuation of Corridor 8 and recommendations valuable for the Albanian Road Authority.

In short, for most residents here, the Librazhd and Përrenjas area is a typical landslide zone. One factor is geomorphology: the entire surrounding landscape consists of steep slopes, almost at maximum inclination.

Another factor is lithology, the type of rock. The yellow areas on this map represent relatively new formations known as Neogene formations. They contain gravel, aggregates, and fragmented materials that are not well cemented. This is another factor linked to landslides.

The red spot on this map marks the landslide in question. However, the Librazhd, Përrenjas, and Spatharë areas have historically had such problems. The most recent was in January 2026 in Spatharë, where landslides intensified. Historically, landslides in this region have been occurring for at least 14 years and are documented even in online videos today. In geological terms, records of landslides here date back to the 1960s and 1970s in the geological service maps.

The final factor to consider is erosion. However, today, another determining factor must also be considered: climate change. Rainfall periods, especially in the past two or three years, have become concentrated into short periods of five to ten days, producing rainfall amounts that previously occurred over an entire year or even two years. This is the main factor behind landslides like those in Spatharë in January, in Librazhd over the past decades, and in this recent case.

Climate change is, therefore, a fundamental phenomenon to consider. For our detailed study, we have planned around 480–500 linear meters of drilling. We have installed monitoring devices in nearby houses to detect movements, and these have confirmed that the landslide is limited to this area. The nearest house, about 80 meters away, shows no signs of movement despite intensive monitoring.

The drillings will reach depths between 30 and 70 meters. A geophysical study is also being conducted using electrometry to understand underground structures, humidity levels, and seismic characteristics.

In addition, we will install inclinometers to monitor ground movement and piezometers to measure moisture levels.

For public information, the samples we analysed show moisture levels of about 33 per cent, meaning the mass has increased by about one third in weight due to water saturation. These are the main elements I wanted to highlight.  

***

Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Enea Karakaçi

I will not extend further on the technical aspects already explained by the Director of the Albanian Road Authority and the Director of the Geological Service.

As the Prime Minister mentioned, I understand that residents, especially those living very close to this area, have experienced concern over the past days. What I can guarantee is that the structures of the Road Authority, the Geological Service, the Albanian Railways, and the energy sector have all been fully engaged.

For example, a transmission line was relocated in record time to prevent additional disruptions to the electricity supply.

All measures have been taken to restore normal traffic as quickly as possible, as well as other services such as electricity.

Regarding Corridor 8, the currently contracted section is about 33 kilometres and is divided into eight phases. All phases are progressing normally without interruption. In fact, in the first sections near Elbasan, one lane has already been asphalted, and work continues on the other.

The only interruption has been on this 150-meter section here, until the Road Authority constructs the alternative road of 1.3 kilometres that will allow vehicles to pass while works continue.

This corridor is one of Albania’s most important infrastructure projects, connecting the country with the wider Balkan region and promoting economic development.  

What I can guarantee is simple. All the other segments are progressing according to the contractual phases. As far as these contracts are concerned, we expect that within one year, apart from this segment here, we will complete them in accordance with the contractual deadlines, and we will continue with the appropriate pace as we are already working across all parts of this corridor. Thank you.

Prime Minister Edi Rama:

I emphasise here the importance of this corridor and bring to the attention of those who may not know it, and remind those who do know it, that Corridor 8 has long been understood and declared as a strategic corridor for our country. However, it had not been accepted by the European Union as a European corridor. The reason was that not all EU member states wanted the corridor, and the European Union had long resisted including it in the European corridor network. This is because once a corridor is included in the European network, it gains the value of being an asset of the European Union, and as such it becomes eligible for financing from European funds or from financial resources provided by European financial institutions.

In fact, it was our work, our diplomacy, and our persistence that led, at the summit held in Tirana between the European Union and the Western Balkans a few years ago, to the inclusion of this corridor in the European corridor network. Naturally, with that step not only was its strategic nature recognized, but its strategic importance was firmly sealed. In practice, together with the new Port of Durrës, it guarantees another axis for the movement of goods and people from east to west. It is a direct route, faster, with lower costs, and naturally with higher efficiency in every respect.

Keep in mind that, in parallel, the corridor must also be built in the countries we are connected to, namely North Macedonia and Bulgaria. I do not know if you have followed it, but a four-party cooperation program has been established in which Italy is also involved, precisely because of the strategic importance of Corridor 8.

On the other hand, Corridor 8 has recently also been included in the corridors for the movement of NATO military forces, which further increases its value. This makes it even more important as a strategic asset not only for the European Union but also for NATO. Our effort to build a military section of the port will make the corridor even more important and will ultimately increase its value, as well as the value of property around it, and naturally its economic and social impact.

This is far too important a project to be dragged into the mud of a machinery that produces nothing but mud, mud, and more mud every single day.

Meanwhile, in the neighbouring country of Greece, where one of the most spectacular highways was built only a few years ago, a landslide occurred that was far, far larger and longer in linear terms than the one here.

These phenomena, which are becoming increasingly present in many countries today, cannot be used to blame and smear everyone and to darken the lives of people who cannot even open the television or their phone screens to receive information, because all they receive is mud. Meanwhile, in the other country, they are not known for extraordinary calm or patience either; they are not Swedes, they are like us, like the Greeks, and I have not seen any mud campaign launched against their government for that landslide. That is the truth of this whole story.

In any case, we are here to guarantee that we are fully aware of the disruption caused to people’s daily lives. We are aware of the obstacles created, and we are here to guarantee that work here will not stop and will continue without interruption, so that we can correct this segment and close this wound as quickly as possible. But it must be done quickly, and it must be done properly. The Director of the Geological Service explained the processes involved, and these processes require time in every case. They cannot be completed overnight.

So we will do it as quickly as possible, but we will do it properly so that this wound is closed permanently. And with that, I will now give the floor to Mr Demo for the conclusions and also for the purpose of further coordination with the municipalities. Since we have come here, we have not come simply to give a speech and provide some information and leave. Feel free to ask any questions you may have about this or about anything else. We are here, and it is good to use this opportunity for other issues as well if you wish to raise them.

Minister of State for Local Government, Ervin Demo:

In fact, I would add that as a result of the explanations we heard from the leaders of the Geological Institute, this area has indeed had landslide problems even on secondary road segments, where the mayors have done an extraordinary job in standing close to the citizens.

I believe that the role of municipalities in this context is very important, not only with regard to infrastructure maintenance, but above all, also in informing citizens, especially when we are dealing with incidents of this nature that arise due to major natural conditions.

I am convinced that all mayors, not only in the Elbasan region but across the entire territory of Albania, have faced phenomena which, as a result of the recent rainfall, especially from November through February, have created difficult situations. However, I believe their response has enabled citizens to continue their lives and work and to face these situations together, because these are situations where we must stand together, and mayors understand better than anyone the importance of being close to their communities.

I would like to thank the Albanian Road Authority and all the other institutions for the assistance they have given municipalities in addressing this situation. I believe that as winter ends, the planning that municipalities will undertake and the preparations they will make for the coming year, including forecasting and preventing such phenomena to some extent, will be a key focus of our work.

I would also like to mention that the Prime Minister has supported a project involving the allocation of a grant from the United Arab Emirates, which will focus on strengthening the logistics that municipalities have at their disposal, not only to deal with situations like these but more broadly to create conditions where phenomena such as flooding can be progressively minimized, while at the same time enabling municipalities across the country to respond with the proper logistics to situations that we all witness today: that the weather has become far more unpredictable and that such situations and phenomena will very likely occur with greater intensity in the years ahead.

Therefore, once again, I would like to thank all the mayors of this area and all state institutions for the response they have provided not only to the landslide on this national segment but also to all other road segments that affect the lives of the residents of this region.

Thank you.