Address of Prime Minister Edi Rama to the residents of Novoselë, where the process of compensation to farmers affected by floods in February last year has begun:
I ensured that everybody had earphones to hear the speech of the ambassador, but 90% of the attendees refused the earphones, and I am very glad because this shows a blind trust in the European Union, in the sense that whatever it says we think it is the right thing. It’s great when people who speak the same language as you applaud your speeches, but people applauding speeches in a foreign language means how badly Albania wants to integrate in the European Union. We just need to convince them.
Meanwhile, all kidding aside, today is the day to show through a concrete example what vital importance our relationship with the European Union has for the development and the safety of the economy of our households and of the domestic economy. It is thanks to the solidarity of the European Union following a great natural disaster that occurred in this area, and thanks also to the efforts since the very first day to date of all agencies of the Albanian government who prepared everything in the right time, that we came back this time to start the direct financial compensation for every farm family affected by floods.
I remember very well when I came here for the first time, and the whole area was under water. People were extremely concerned and in despair, and they couldn’t believe when I told them that that was the moment to make sure that no other damages will occur, to provide food for every family, and we will be back when the sun comes out because we don’t act like those before us who would come here wearing boots just to be on TV, and after the sun started to shine again they would leave everybody adrift.
This is the first time, and it is a fact, that the Albanian government has fulfilled from A to Z its commitment to be next to people, families and communities affected by a natural disaster, floods in this case, and to compensate for every single damage. We compensated all livestock and poultry, and thanks to the support of the European Union we launched a massive plan of investments to recover the ruined infrastructure for flood protection. You are witnesses that work is continuing in this area along the riverbed of Vjosë, and we have identified the weak points and the most vulnerable sources threatened by flood. We are here today to make 3529 farmers direct beneficiaries of this solidarity between the European Union and Albania.
Do you remember when some people used to be on TV and say “why don’t they declare a state of emergency?”, and according to them it was because “they don’t want to compensate you. They want to leave you out in the rain and storm.” Had it rained today, they would have said “they don’t declare a state of emergency because they want to spy on you”.
We have said since the first day that the contrary is true. In addition to preventing further damage and ensuring food for families in those dramatic moments, we started working with the European Union on this massive intervention plan.
I understand if some of the families living in the area of Nenshkoder, who haven’t received any compensation since the floods of many years ago, don’t are quite happy, and they are right when they say “we also have been affected by floods. Why haven’t we been thoroughly compensated?”
In fact, the truth is that compensation for residents affected by the floods in Shkoder has been brought forward, and we will finish it. I assure them that we will meet all the obligations that the Albanian government has to them for all damages found at that time and recorded, and we will do it within this year.
But on the other hand, this is a very appropriate moment to make a very clear comparison between this government and those who preceded this ruling majority. Here you are, the affected communities across this territory, who have had the government and state authorities, both central and local, constantly at your disposal since the day the flood occurred until now, in order to compensate for every single damage, of course by taking the required time, for things take their time. It is not an easy thing to get money from the pockets of the European Union. To take money from the pockets of the European Union you need to be seriously prepared, you need documents, exact figures and reliable data, and above all a reliable partnership.
Today, I am here together with the ambassador, the ministers, the mayor, the prefect and all the others who have been with you since day one, to start this process and to make a correction in this process. For there are several families that have not been included in the list, and they make their claims. I assure all the others that we will include them in this process after proper verification. It makes no sense that such a program, so important in its own morality, dignity and solidarity be affected by errors or omissions of this nature.
Of course, this is not enough. Our government will not just sit waiting for the floods to occur in order to compensate damages. We have many other daily things to do, and we are focused to give a new dimension to the relationship of the state with the countryside, and to create a new path for families living in the countryside and who live off the land.
We started the process of granting property titles to farmer families. We were here in this square when we started this process which is going on. I put an end to a more than 20-long psychological burden for hundreds of thousands of families who live in the countryside, who own the land but can neither inherit it nor donate it, sell it, capitalize it in the banks, because it is not theirs. We put an end to it by removing all bureaucratic procedures and by providing state topographers. Now every family must do just two very simple things. Take to the municipality the 1991 act that granted them the right to use the land, and second apply and say “this is proof that I use this land and this is my application to become owner of the land”. The whole procedure will be carried out for free by the municipality who will provide the topographers, prepare documents, take them to the mortgage office, etc.
Thanks to this year’s irrigation program, which is the biggest government program in terms of irrigation and drainage system, we make available for every new municipality thousands hectares of arable land that was not worked, was fallow or planted with nothing but alfalfa, and people hoped that God would help them – God had become Director of the Drainage Board. There are thousands and thousands of hectares of arable land that will be irrigated and will enable thousands of families to work the land and have products.
Besides the traditional support of the Ministry of Agriculture, from ARDA, by means of subsidies or grants in different schemes, we have built a state guarantee fund to support with 300 million Euros in three years the lending at favourable interest rates for all farmers. Anyone who will invest to expand their farm, to build an agro-processing line, to build a greenhouse, to join 5 others and to invest in this or that culture, they can do this by obtaining a loan. Today, everything is part of a chain. Land owners, home owners, i.e. people with available capital, people who can go to the bank and apply for a loan. Not people to whom the bank asks “who are you?” and knows only their name and surname, because they have no land, no home and are in the air.
Not to mention the great benefit that have had all those who obtained a TIN. We have said very clearly that those who obtain the TIN will have many benefits. The others used to tell you to not obtain the TIN, to stay informal because otherwise you would pay taxes. But by obtaining the TIN you benefit from subsidies, grants, and loans.
The whole project takes time. We are in Vlore, and this is the place of impatience. Vlore is the homeland of impatience, that’s why the flag was raised here. That’s why it is hard to find in Vlore, more than in any other place, people who wait patiently for results. This is good. I myself am less patient than the mayor of Vlore, for I come from these surroundings so I understand this very well, but what I cannot understand is people who ask “what are you doing for Vlore?” What are we doing for Vlore? Allow me at this point to apologize to Ms Ambassador, since I am also MP of Vlore and I will go off the topic of agriculture.
We are doing for Vlore investments that haven’t been done in more than 20 years. Of course, Vlora needs more because it was destroyed, it was torn apart. And mostly, since it never had the support it deserved from the government in Tirana, Vlora was never able to recover any system. You saw the terrible flooding that occurred in the city, and it was the result of a total obstruction of the sewer system. A ruined system where no investments were made, because there was no support, not to mention the overload due to constructions, the increased population, etc.
We restored hope. When we took office, Vlora was like a fake pocket. People would enter the city like the thief enters the house from the window. Once you left the highway, there were no entrance roads to the most important tourist city in Albania. Today, we are completing the entrance road to the new tourist city of Vlore.
In addition, we are thoroughly redesigning the Trans-Balkan road which had turned into a trail for trucks, mud and rubble. It will be a totally new tourist entrance, which will increase the value of every property on both sides of the Trans-Balkan road. I am surprised by some shop owners who complain that they want to park in front of their shop door, and forget that the public space in front of the shop increases the value of the store. They are just like those at Durres Street who complained when I became mayor of Tirana, because the sidewalk was being paved, railings being put because that would hinder their business, but in the end everyone was convinced that it was quite the opposite.
Meanwhile, the Lungomare is taking shape. It is not a project that can be done in a heartbeat. It is funded by the European Union, and the European Union did not originate in Vlora. It is not impatient. It is very patient and it takes its time.
There is also the road “Dhimitër Konomi” that will ease the traffic along the Lungomare. We are about to start work for the road of the Policlinics, which is another torn-apart road. We finished the road of the Hospital. We have also a dozen projects that will start being implemented. Even the historic area of Vlora, which is a torn-apart oriental bazar, without any connection with the century in which we live and with the ambition of Vlora, will be thoroughly rebuild. Not to mention the projects for green areas within the city.
I’ve come here with the financial books of the money that are compensation grants for the damages, and which will also maintain the manufacturing capacities. There are 3529 families, plus 40-50 other families that will surely be included in this scheme, in addition to 200 businesses who will benefit direct money to continue their activity and have the damages compensated. Together with the Ambassador, I would like to start this symbolic delivery of these checks, but you will get all of them even when the cameras leave because we are not like the old government. This is our government, and we come here even behind cameras.
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The process of compensation to farmers affected by floods in February last year has begun. 3529 farm families and 200 businesses will receive compensation for damages caused to agriculture by the floods, as a contribution of the European Union amounting to 7.110 million Euros. Farmers of Novosele in Vlore received today the financial compensation books, after the assessment of the damages.
The compensation of damages was a prompt commitment of the government right after the flood, to cover agricultural damage and maintain the production capacity. That commitment was fulfilled thanks to cooperation with the European Union. The delivery ceremony was attended also by the Ambassador of the European Union to Albania, Romana Vlahutin.
Novosela is one of the areas that have been affected by floods several times. Farmers said that the damages caused by the several flood in the area have been significant, but they have never been compensated. Therefore, this is a special day for them, they said.
“We have been affected by floods many times in the past, and compensation lists have been always done but we have received nothing”, one of the beneficiaries of the compensation grant said. For Tatjana Velaj “this is a happy day, for they received compensations. We never received them before”. While Thanas Rista said that “floods have been occurring for many years, but nobody compensated us”.
