“State of Emergency”, the decision the government refuses to take

The government is hesitating to declare the State of Emergency. Instead, the Albanian Prime Minister declared that there will be compensation for residents affected by floods.

But what mechanisms will the government use for the compensation? That is still unclear. The only clear thing is that there is hesitation from the government to declare the State of Emergency. If they would declare it, the government would have to pay for all damage caused by floods, even for cattle food.

But does the government have the money to cover it? Financial instruments allow governments to use contingency funds or to reallocate other funds. However, the government did not declare the State of Emergency even in 2015.

The government is doing the same thing now, opening bank accounts for contribution from citizens and businesses. Many might think that if the government is able to cover this without touching the budget, than this is a good thing for the majority.

After all, residents who built homes close to rivers, or in other dangerous areas, didn’t ask any permission before doing so. However, those who think this, forget that the government’s role is not just that of an account who only distributes money, but also the role of a social caretaker.

While it is true that the government is not responsible for “once-in-a-century” floods happening every three years, it is also true that the government is responsible for the legalization of these buildings. The government is also responsible for the poor quality of roads, which are built without respecting laws about water flows. The government is responsible for the missing embankments and blocked draining systems. The government is also responsible for permits given to companies for exploiting rivers and cutting forests, which help with erosion.

The government’s responsibility for its own citizens is not selective. The government cannot make some people happy with newly planted palm trees and water fountains, and deprive others from basic things. If that happened, that government would be an unjust one.

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