The state allocated millions of euros for the reconstruction of houses destroyed by the 2019 earthquake in Rrogozhinë in central Albania. The tender was made and the company built several houses.
But 18 apartments were not rebuilt and these families continue to live like in the Middle Ages, now with no help, either for the reconstruction or for the rental bonus, which has been removed since 10 months.
The group of the investigative program “Fiks Fare” traveled to the village of Kaçaj in Rrogozhinë, but the road was ruined, with large potholes.
The Daja family of this village had turned to the investigative show because of the houses destroyed by the earthquake of November 26, 2019. Although we have entered the 5th year after the quake, these families are in the open sky, still the houses of these families in this village has not been rebuilt.
“Since 2019 we worry about the damaged houses. At first with tents, then they gave us a rental bonus. But then they cut it. Now we live in these barracks. I am one of the first applicants. I did the papers,m but now I’m coming last. We have small children. The other son has 4. We go to the municipality and they tell us it will be done today, it will be done tomorrow, but nothing. They once told me they will be done here. Once below. If I have 3 rooms to get, just give me two, I told them. I have no objection. Just let the children go inside. We are in trouble”, says Nazmi Daja.
Fiksi also spoke with Mrs. Edlira Daja.
“I have 4 children, I live in the village of Koçaj in this room,” she says, referring to a makeshift shack with boards, where 6 people live. There they cook, stay and sleep. The toilet is outside in the open.
“Our house was destroyed by the earthquake in 2019 and we live here. It collapsed. We received the rent bonus but now it has been cut. We are here now, living like this. Thank goodness the father-in-law takes the children to school because they would be left without school. The little child is 8 months old. He was born in these shacks. I have 4 sons, the oldest is 9 years old. It is very difficult to live here, to be honest. The children sleep in the bunk bed. We cook here at the stove. We have been told that they will build it, but so far nothing has happened”, she concludes.
Fiks Fare journalists go to Rrogozhin Municipality, where they talk with Mr. Rezart Vogli, acting director of Finance and Social Service.
“On the part of the Rrogozhin Municipality, the families affected by the earthquake of November 26, 2019 have been treated with a rent bonus until March 2023. From March onwards, the bonus has been stopped for all affected families I believe, at national level”, says the director.
“Regarding the housing reconstruction, since the Daja family was the beneficiary of the first reconstruction grant, the project was initially followed by the Albanian Development Fund, through two or three contracting operators. On the part of the Rrogozhin Municipality, continuous letters have been sent to 18 families for the ADF to return the grant so the municipality can continue with the procedures”, asserts Mr. Vogli.
Fiks Fare addressed a request for information to the Albanian Development Fund. In response, this institution says that there have been several reconstruction procedures. One of them, implemented in Rrogozhinë, was for the reconstruction of apartments on the same land. This contract was concluded between ADF and the “Gjikuria” company in November 2020 for 148 apartments. The fund says that the number of houses to be rebuilt in the same place has had updates and therefore the contract changes. There have even been problems in Rrogozhina, such as a lack of infrastructure, roads, more families in one building, more apartments on the same roof or even ownership problems.
Meanwhile, a few days later, another family in Rrogozhina complained to the editorial office of Fiks Fare. It is about the family of Mr. Fiqiri Kullolli, from the village of Gosa e Vogël. The Fiks Fare group traveled to that village, talking to the head of the family.
“The house has not been rebuilt. They tell me there are no funds. We are at the mercy of fate. We now stay at this brother’s house. This too is ready to collapse. I got the land according to the law, with a certificate. Now I don’t know where the obstacle comes from. Once they tell us there are no funds but some have been rebuilt. I had an old house, without documents”, says Fiqiriu.
Top Channel
