The reconstruction of “Skenderbej” square

The project initiated by Rama’s administration, which predicted a square only for pedestrians and without cars, has been cancelled by Basha’s administration. Sources from inside the staff that will carry out the project say that all underground works have been closed with a cost of 4.5 million EUR, while other 500.000 EUR have been spent for the international competition and the winning studio that presented the project.

If Rama’s project would have been followed, the second phase of the project would have started by know, with the 5 million EUR given by the Kuwaiti government especially for reconstructing the “Skenderbej” square, based on an agreement between both governments.

But the new Municipality administration decided to cancel the existing project, which had also been approved by the Municipal Council and the National Council of Territorial Regulation.

The new leaders of Tirana say that they are putting provisional asphalt and green spaces for the square, but no one says how much these temporary works will cost, how long will this temporary period take, and if there is any permission for the new works, because the temporary project has not been made public for the citizens.

The expenses are not being made transparent for the public, but urban specialists calculate that there must have been spent at least 2 million EUR for the roads, green areas, trees and illumination, although temporarily.

Another 2 million EUR are calculated to have gone in vain for the underground works, part of which have been damaged and others be useless without the original project, such as the Technical Chamber, with a value of 1 million EUR, the fountain lines, rain drainage pipes and canalizations. With the works that are being made now, the main square of the Albanian capital has no fountain and the damages are calculated at almost 4 million.

Sources from inside the Tirana Municipality say that these provisory works will serve for three years, until the Municipality will have a new project that includes the extension of the “Zogu i Pare” Boulevard beyond the Train Station.

The 5 million EUR given by the Kuwaiti government, for which the Albanian government is a guarantee, will be used exactly for this purpose. The agreement signed by the Minister of Finances, Ridvan Bode, says that the Albanian government has the obligation to ensure the necessary procedures and practices for implementing the project.

In another point they have agreed for excluding this project from all types of direct and indirect taxes, including Customs. The agreement also says that if one of the parties will want to amend the agreement while the project will be under implementation, both parties must agree before these amends will be realized. This agreement has been approved by the Albanian Parliament.

On the other hand, the Socialist councilors at the Municipal Council have prepared the suit against the Tirana Municipality for violating the legal procedures by changing the project for the main square.

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