Address by Prime Minister Edi Rama and remarks by the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan via videoconference at the groundbreaking ceremony for construction of Zone 1 in new residential neighbourhood in Laç town, a project funded by the Turkish government:

Prime Minister Edi Rama: Welcome!

Hoşgeldiniz!

We are here today to testify to the incredible solidarity the Republic of Turkey and President Erdogan have demonstrated in the first moments right after the tragedy on November 26 last year, as well as the President and our Turkish friends who kept the word to commence work and reborn the heart of the small town of Laç by building a new residential neighbourhood, which is divided into two zones. One zone, the largest one on this side and which is being constructed from the ground up thanks to this support, and the other zone located on the other side, already underway with the infrastructure and site preparation works and which will be built by the government of Albania. But it is a neighbourhood, a symbol of the handshake of friendship and solidarity, which will remain here for ages to come as evidence of this very special relationship between two nations, two countries and our two governments.

I would like to recall here that Turkey was part of the network of friendly nations that not only voiced solidarity through statements immediately after the earthquake, but promptly mobilized human and material resources to be deployed here, when human lives were still threatened under the rubbles. I have had the privilege of meeting the Turkish search-and-rescue crews and closely look at the dedication and self-sacrifice with which the boys, who came to Albania for first time from Turkey, saved Albanian lives. Afterwards, President Erdogan invited me to attend a large gathering in the friendly country, where I appealed for solidarity and where he announced readiness to support construction of 500 apartment houses. Immediately, together with a good friend we came to know and we have had the opportunity to hold him in high esteem, Minister Mehmet Kurum, we have launched work relying on the incredible experience of the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKI), establishing communication with architects and designers.

It is with great pleasure that I can say that this project is not merely a project on constructing residential buildings with 524 apartments, 37 service units, parking lots, a shopping centre and so on and so forth, but also a project as a demonstration of the respect for the territory, a project meeting the territory-friendly urban standards and a project that takes into consideration traditional elements too, certainly translated into a contemporary architecture. I also want to primarily thank the Minister for this sensitivity, because he has been key in promoting the project in this process, so that there is built not just a neighbourhood featuring new buildings, without any kind of identity, like the ones you can find anywhere in all neighbourhoods around the world.

This is certainly important, as it is important – and I want to emphasize it, but in this case, for this city, for this community, I believe that the repetition is not boring – that by building this new residential neighbourhood, we finally also managed to rehabilitate the old stream, which had become a sort of a gangrene in this town, as it happened to overflow its banks and systematically flood the town , systematically inflicting damages to local vendors, the inhabitants, and practically systematically made this small town unliveable. 

The truth is that it was the epic perseverance of Laç Mayor, then our request and the readiness of the minister and the engineers with whom we cooperated that, despite the fact that the project was launched without considering the need for the stream system rehabilitation, this system to be integrated along with the project site. I would like to specifically thank our friends for their flexibility, as this has certainly required extra work. I am very glad that the construction of this new neighbourhood, this new heart of Laç, will ensure that the town is never flooded again; something that may not seem very important when you hear it, but that has really been and is vital to this community.

On the other hand, I am very pleased to affirm here today that in the meantime we have been pushing forward with the construction of the schools network, which will be reborn, as the old school buildings practically no longer exist. Construction of the school in the village of Gjorm has completed, while work to rebuilt nine more educational facilities in this area is about to commence soon.

On the other hand, work for construction of the single-family homes is about to get underway, around 180 apartment buildings are in the process of repair through the Albanian government’s compensation grants extended to 1.500 households.

As we already noted, a total of 524 apartments will be built on this side, and some 200 apartments on the other side. A new centre will be built, because, in addition to apartments and commercial units, the new municipal complex will be built, a long-standing need, but now completely an imperative in the wake of the earthquake. Another new school and a kindergarten will be built nearby here. A new hospital will be constructed somewhere further here. Work is in the process as procedures have been finalized, the contract is ready and construction work will kick off soon to build a new hospital with a completely fresh look.

Meanwhile, we are closely working with the Mayor to transform the entire road leading to the Saint Ndoi shrine, which will certainly boost the town’s readiness and capacities to host the many pilgrims who visit the shrine. What I have said since the very onset is that this town, those herds of visitors in staggering numbers to the weeks of pilgrimage to Saint Ndoi that saw them simply travelling through and leaving the area, as it offered no opportunity to visitors to spend even a night here, but the town will become very attractive and hospitable thanks to the reconstruction program. With all the new spaces expected to be created, the town will have the opportunity to offer hospitality and improve its local economy. 

I want to express special thanks to the construction company and especially to the project manager here, with whom I have met systematically, and who stays on top of the work constantly, while the Mayor is very happy that work continues ceaselessly. It is a long hour’s work; unregulated hours day and night work that gives a lot of positive energy to the whole town, as it is like picking up the rhythm of the heartbeat of the town. I want to thank all those workers who are really doing a fantastic job. 

Meanwhile, the construction site is quite impressive. We have followed it since day one and, unfortunately, for objective pandemic-related reasons and for reasons related to the natural disaster that hit Turkey, two earthquakes in a row, Minister was unable to visit Albania and it was impossible for this ceremony to take place in the first moment, but it is really a construction site that in terms of engineering is impressive and in terms of quality of construction work is quite impressive too. And for that, I really express my gratitude to the company, the engineers, the workers and in particular, the management of the company with whom we have become friends and I am really pleased to consider him a good friend, which is the meaningful expression here, every day, of that friendship that has lead us to this day, to this ceremony.

Minister, thank you, really. I am sincerely grateful! I am convinced that what we are building here is actually more than just a batch of a considerable number of house units. It is more than a prompt response in such a difficult time for our country and our people, it is the meaningful expression of a will and a desire to strengthen and nurture through concrete acts of solidarity and cooperation this friendship, we are really proud of.

Thank you also for taking the trouble to come here. I am quite aware of the fact that you are in charge of a position that carries a huge burden, particularly now that you have to address a recently inflicted wound. I avail myself of this opportunity, since we haven’t had the chance to meet in person, I would like to extend my condolences to all the families that have lost their loved ones in the earthquakes that hit Turkey recently. I am concluding by telling a lived anecdote. When the earthquake hit Turkey, there were people who texted me that this would have possible ramifications as Turkey may shift attention from this project, because the country had to cope with the disaster itself. I told them this won’t never happen, because when it comes to the disaster, the need, the relations between our two countries, it works the way Kemal Ataturk once put it: “Mankind is a single body and each nation a part of that body and given that they are part of the same body, they should interact with one another exactly when this body needs them.”

Thank you very much!

 

*Remarks by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: My dear friend!

Honourable cabinet members, my dear bothers in the town of Laç,

Ladies and gentlemen!

I would like to extend you all my most sincere greetings and heartfelt sentiments.

On the occasion of this significant ceremony, it is with great pleasure that I join you and through you, I would like to send my greetings to Albania and all the Albanian brothers.

Albania is Turkey’s close friend and partner in the Balkans. 

We see the joy of the Albanian people as our joy and their sorrow as our sorrow. We promptly mobilized our capacities following the earthquakes on September 21 and November 26 last year. We delivered four truckloads of aid to Albania through the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) following the earthquake on September 21. Following the earthquake on November 26, in addition to the aid, we offered and decided to build homes for our Albanian brothers. Despite the coronavirus pandemic the construction works of the houses begun in August shortly after the signing of the necessary memorandum of understanding last July.

And today, we are holding the groundbreaking ceremony of these houses which will – God willing – turn into warm homes for our Albanian brothers and sisters. We are holding this ceremony with the participation of our Minister of Environment and Urbanization and I hope this project, which includes 522 residences in total and will cost approximately 42 million Euros, will lead to auspicious results.

Construction of these house units is a new sign of Albania-Turkey friendship. Hopefully, we will complete the first phase of the residential units as soon as possible and start handing them over to our brothers who lost their homes in the earthquake.

I avail myself of this opportunity to again pray may God give mercy to all our brothers who lost their lives in the earthquake. I would like to extend my most sincere condolences to the families and relatives of the victims. I pray to God to protect us from all kinds of natural disasters and calamities, as well as from epidemic diseases. 

In the meantime, I would like to extend my greetings to Prime Minister Edi Rama. I followed his speech attentively and I want to personally thank for his contribution and we hope to overcome the consequences of this disaster as soon as possible. We will make sure that those affected have a peaceful and safer life. 

Once again, I wish that the new homes we are building for Laç residents and our Albanian brothers will lead to auspicious results. I wish you to live in these houses in peace and health for a lifetime, together with your families and loved ones! 

Wishing you a Happy New Year, I want to greet you friendly and wish you good health!

Enjoy it, my precious friend, Edi.

My friend Kurum, I am looking forward to seeing you and the construction company Albayrak complete this project as soon as possible. We have to finish it. Dear Kurum, at what stage are we?

Minister Kurum: So far, honourable Mr. President, 10% of the construction has been completed. God willing, as you have said and as you have already promised and as you have instructed, we will complete the housing units and hand them over to our Albanian brothers by August. 

President Erdogan: When you say August, which August do you mean? 

Minister Kurum: August 2021.

President Erdogan: Dear Albayrak, the project here will complete by August 2021, won’t it? Edi, it is about August 2021. Enjoy it!

*Simultaneous interpretation