A YEAR AFTER THE FIRST STONE WAS LAID TO START CONSTRUCTING THE PROMENADE AREA AND THE CENTRAL SQUARE OF BERAT, PRIME MINISTER EDI RAMA, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER NIKO PELESHI AND PRESIDENT OF THE ALBANIAN-AMERICAN FUND FOR DEVELOPMENT, MICHAEL GRANOFF WERE AGAIN TODAY IN THIS SQUARE. THE UNESCO PLAQUE WAS PLACED ON SOME STONE BLOCKS AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE JUST-COMPLETED PROMENADE AREA.
The pedestrian area at the boulevard “Republika” and the square “Teodor Muzaka”, funded by the Albanian-American Fund for Development and the Municipality of Berat, are one of the most important urban interventions for the city. As part of “Revival of Cities”, a project for the overall redesigning of public spaces is being implemented in Berat, with an investment of 3 million dollars.
The Prime Minister together with thousands of citizens walked along the promenade area and stood in front of panels showing future projects for Berat, and visited the mosaics, which represent the artistic synthesis made with stones come from different areas of the country. Here, the Prime Minister visited the exhibition of 40 artists from all over Albania.
In his speech, Mayor Fadil Nasufi defined the projects initiated in the city as an urban landscape ensemble and said that these investments mark for Berat the launch of the sustainable and integrated development era. “Berat has turned into a work site since a year and so far the city has never seen 3 million dollars invested within a year. Thanks to these investments, Berat is having the splendor and proper attention it deserves”- Nasufi said.
While for the President of the Albanian-American Fund for Development, the key to this success has been partnership. “This ceremony is not the end of works done, but it is actually only the beginning of what can be achieved in the future. Therefore we, in the Albanian-American Development, are very happy and proud to be part of it. In fact, I remember when we came to visit the city of Berat last year, and while walking together you, Mr. Prime Minister told me that if we work together, this project can be even better than we think. Today, I am happy to tell you that actually it is so. By working together we have been able to do many good things. I can assure you that this is just the beginning”- Michael Granoff said.
For the Prime Minister, these investments are the beginning of a promise given to the citizens of Berat that in the next four years will be done more investments than 20 years taken together.
“In one year we have invested in this city more than has been invested in the last 10 years taken together. In order to fulfill our commitment, we just need another year, because next year we will do again more than has been done in the last 10 years, but what I see as even more important is that these are not only projects that bring a glow of the past and hopes for the future in the body of the city. These are projects that open new paths for the economy, these are projects that open new roads for the industry of Albania, and Berat should be its locomotive of development, which is tourism”- the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister called the projects started in the city, a development program and he promised continuous support in order to restore the splendor of the old town.
“We will proceed forward with work for this main road segment, we will proceed forward with the process of rehabilitation in historic neighborhoods, and we will undoubtedly proceed forward, to give a totally new aspect to buildings that are on the side of the main road, in order to increase also the value of all structures both for business and residential purposes, throughout the area. On the other hand the reconstruction of the famous Hotel Turizmi and its transformation from an old building of a bygone era in a building that respects tradition, will give to the promenade area a completely new development and a new point of reference. Meanwhile, we are working step by step to continue bringing back to light the treasures of this city, starting from the famous bridge of Gorica, where the cobblestones are being made from scratch; we are doing a radical cleansing and preparing the structure to defend the bridge from erosion. In addition, we are releasing power lines and water supply that are above, by mounting them properly, and arranging the lighting system of the bridge. Thus, after another arch of the bridge will come to light, Berat’s treasure will become a strong point of attraction for tourists and visitors. Another important investment is being done also for the bridge of Velabisht.”
The Prime Minister stressed once again that no possession of public spaces will be allowed.
“I will bring at the attention of those who say that we are destroying, what Picasso used to say: “We are destroying to build.” We are not building to destroy, as it has happened for many years, where even investments made on behalf of construction have brought destruction and devastation rather than construction. Of course, even in Berat we will demolish informal building and those buildings that hide the old town; we will demolish facilities built out of arrogance and brutality, which stand against the good people of Berat and benefit from the occupation of common spaces. The era in which the toughies of the neighborhood and of the city could occupy common spaces ended in June 23.”
Besides thanking all those who are contributing to this program of urban revival, the Prime Minister said jokingly to the Mayor that “eventually the Municipality of Berat could see some money coming from Tirana, since the only thing it could see from Tirana in many years was its detachment from the rest of the world, because the road Lushnje-Berat was transformed into an alley for tanks and armored vehicles, and for donkeys and horses, but not for people and cars. Connecting this city with the entire surrounding area and the starting of this journey to reach deep in the heart of history, from the freeway in Lushnje up to the canyons of Skrapar are to us a strategic program of development and radical transformation of the family economy of all those who live in this area.”
The Municipality of Berat awarded Prime Minister Rama the medal of gratitude for the support given to the city. Prime Minister Rama dedicated the medal to Deputy Prime Minister Niko Peleshi as Coordinator of the Program “Revival of Cities”.
“I would like very much to pass this souvenir to the Deputy Prime Minister, who is actually the leader and coordinator of the entire Program for Revival of Cities, but not only this, but also because we both come from the experience of being mayors, while they think that I have forgotten that experience. So, they talk behind my back on how to increase funding for Berat, and I pretend I don’t understand but actually I totally agree.”- the Prime Minister said.
Deputy Prime Minister said that these investments are not just infrastructure, but they aim to give a new direction to the economy of Berat. “I am very happy to see today, in such a short time, an investment which is not just an investment in infrastructure, but an investment in the culture, in the psychology, in the awakening of hope, an investment to give a new economic direction to Berat” – Deputy Prime Minister said.
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A new job office was opened today in Berat. Its inauguration was attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama, Minister of Social Welfare and Youth, Erion Veliaj, Mayor of Berat Fadil Nasufi, President of the Association of entrepreneurs Business Albania and local entrepreneur, who support the new approach of the government for these job offices as a mediation tool between job seekers and employers.
The Prime Minister called the job offices a path road for more employment which, opposed to the initial skepticism, are showing every day that they are a valuable tool for entrepreneurs as employers, and for job seekers who are turned away from the economic assistance scheme.
“Job Offices have been seen with skepticism and often even with cynicism. Whenever we go for a job office, there are people who say: “they open job offices, but find no jobs.” Actually, these offices have shown that they are a new path and an additional path for employment. Let me tell you that this year in the period from January to September, job offices have received, registered and interviewed 50,387 people. This number is 10 times greater compared to the same period of a year ago.
What does this mean? This means that people who really want to work, those who are really ready for work, those who really want to live through work and not get a pension by ensuring a place in the administration, so that they can stay at the cafeteria all day long, are those who knock at the door of job offices. There are 12 607 job seekers that today are working, and this means that their number is 18 times higher compared to the same period of a year ago. Meanwhile, 23 thousand job vacancies have been published through the system of job offices. This means 20 times more than 2013.
33 967 is a real number of real people – it is not one of those numbers we used to be given until yesterday, according to which we were second to Germany. At least we tied with Denmark – 13 times more than 2013.
So, I think that particularly important in this moment is the fact that Berat, not only the city but also the district of Berat, is given the opportunity to have an office for job seekers, so that they can knock at the door and say: “I can do this, this and this. Can you help me, please?” And entrepreneurs who have vacancies can say: “I have a job vacancy for this, this and this. Can you help me, please?” What the job office does is connecting entrepreneurs with job seekers.
Our plan is very clear;
We do not want Albania to live on social assistance. We want Albania to live on work.
Economic assistance should go to those who have no job skills, to those who are unable to work, to those who do not have the power to work. Economic assistance cannot be the solution for families where the couple is 30 years old or 40 years old. For these families, the solution is work. What we want to do is give everybody a job opportunity and those who reject the job offer, will receive no longer economic assistance. Meanwhile, if you accept the job offer, you will receive much more than economic assistance.”
Minister Veliaj said that over 300 businesses across Albania have received assistance through these offices, and thanks to them the number of people who turn away from economic assistance is growing.
“They are employees who were previously receiving economic assistance. This metaphor explains the logic of our reform. Turn people away from economic assistance and direct them to employment. The money we used to spend for economic assistance will go for business subsidies, social security, to make sure that every penny of taxpayers does not go to charity, but goes for a job with dignity. I am very grateful to all those who have contributed. This is the 9th project with which we have “harassed” you, because these are not funds of the state budget and I am happy that no taxpayer money has been spent, and above all, business has found value in job offices, since we are helping to reduce bureaucracies for recruiting talented people” – Veliaj said.
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Along with works for the promenade are and the main square, with a Government fund of approximately 262.5 million leke, works are continuing also for the reconstruction of the new river road where decorative gates are being placed according to standards of the museum area. In addition, the west park of the centre is being revitalized.
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The Prime Minister walked through the new road up to the bridge of Gorica, where restoration works have started. The bridge of Gorica, built in 1777, is considered among the city’s attractions. Hence, its restoration will maintain the old bridge, by redoing the entire 127-meter long cobblestones over the bridge, cleaning the facade, restoring the damaged parts, installing electrical lines and releasing water supply. This is an investment of 17.6 million leke. The Prime Minister asked the work director to carefully clean the bridge so that all its splendour comes to light, as well as its 8th arch.
The Prime Minister stopped by at the centre of Ura Vajgurore, as well and announced that the project for the boulevard and the main square will be launched soon.
After Berat, Prime Minister Rama inspected the progress of works on the road segments Lushnje-Berat. Prime Minister Rama said that this important road segment should be completed on time and with required standards. “With the revised budget, you had the money you need and you need to do your best to transform this road.”
