The opposition’s main party, the DP, has expressed its position against
the new territorial reform before the ad hoc commission for the
negotiations with the majority even begins.
The opposition will not sit to discuss with the majority on a draft that has been prepared by the government. They want the draft to be created by both parties.
The Ministry of Local Administration declares that the work done so far with 15 local and foreign experts, and the consulting with the groups of interests, is just an analyze of the situation for taking out the best alternatives and that all options are open to be discussed in this commission.
“We have planned only a flexible group of criteria that will be discussed in the Commission”, explained Enea Hoti, consultant of the Ministry of Local Administration.
The former adviser of Prime Minister Berisha for the territory, Flamur Kuci, declared that the consulting should be wider than that.
“The process needs not only consensus with all parties, but with the public, first of all. If the citizens do not agree, the reform has already failed”, Kuci declared.
The Ministry of Local Administration declared that the voices for the number of local units that will be created are untrue, since everything will be a competence of a bilateral commission. This ministry guarantees that the political parties are equal actors in this important reform.
“We have invited the association of municipalities led by Mr.Basha to be part of the important discussions, but they have never been present and they haven’t let us know for what reason they took this decision. All options are open, and the access is equal for both parties”, Hoti declared.
“The discussion should start with an analyze of the situation, but the parties are rushing to the solution. For as long that they will use it for political gains, the reforms will have no success”, Kuci claims.
This is the second alternative of the Albanian politics for making a new administrative division, after this effort failed in 2002.
But this time, the international institutions such as the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the Swedish Organization for Development, the Swiss Organization, USAID and others, are partners directly involved with technical and financial assistance for the reform, which has been considered as an urgent necessity for years.
This has been accepted by all political parties, but their hesitation is that the territory division is taking place before the local elections. However, its approval requires 84 votes, and the majority has them.
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