TIRANA, Oct. 8 /ATA/ – Main opposition Democratic Party (DP) leader Sali Berisha accused the governing majority on Thursday of eliminating municipalities and local government units across Albania through new territorial reform without taking account of residents’ interests or wishes.
Speaking in parliament, Berisha described the reform as a “hostile act” against citizens and said investment had fallen sharply in areas where municipalities or communes had been abolished.
He cited Libohova, Memaliaj, Kelcyre, Dimal, Polican, Rrogozhine, Klos and Fushe-Arrez among the municipalities set to lose their status, arguing that the areas had significant economic, tourism, mining and agricultural potential.
“You are wiping out municipalities with a shameful vote,” Berisha said, arguing that local government units were important drivers of investment and development.
He said investment in areas affected by the territorial changes had fallen to “almost zero”, a claim he did not substantiate.
Berisha also accused the government of retaliating against communities that had not supported it politically, citing the northern Albania municipality of Fushe-Arrez as an example.
“This is retaliation,” he said.
/m.q/a.f/u.sh/
