Prime Minister Edi Rama today highlighted the completion of a comprehensive school modernization project. The upgraded facility boasts state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, and contemporary learning environments. The campus also integrates outdoor sports fields with surrounding greenery to support extracurricular activities, including the “Land in School” initiative. Rama noted that the facility is designed to serve as an open, accessible space for the broader community.

Upgrading “Mehmet Bajraktari” school is part of a broader initiative to modernize educational infrastructure and deliver highly functional, inclusive learning environments. /m.m/j.p/r.e/p.s./

This investment accelerates the modernization of Albania’s agricultural sector, enhancing productivity and signaling a new chapter in strategic cooperation with Israel.

Prime Minister Edi Rama visited the new farm today to review the investment carried out in partnership with MASHAV (Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation), with the support of the Embassy of Israel and in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Rama stated that Israel stands as a premier example of utilizing innovation to survive unfavorable geographical conditions.

Rama underlined that, although our country has numerous resources, “What has troubled us for a long time has been a focus on innovation and the best experiences”.

“While appearing as a residential garden, this area serves as the hub of our experimental farm. It is a site for intensive crop research, complemented by adjacent livestock facilities where students and teachers collaborate on hands-on learning”, said Rama.

PM Rama also stressed that an important agreement is expected to be signed with Israel to promote cooperation, with the aim of transferring more knowledge and experience to Albania in the field of modern agriculture. /m.q/j.p/p.s./

During her visit to this center, Minister of Health and Social Welfare Evis Sala emphasized that through the Social Fund mechanism, there will be financed mobile services for citizens in need, in the municipal units of Cërrik, Gostimë, Mollas, Shales and Klos.

Multi-purpose Center in Cërrik consists of the center’s premises, but it also offers mobile services to help local residents of the area.

The center has also expanded its activities through mobile services, directly approaching the local residents who need help the most.

This center not only offers concrete assistance, but also contributes to the social empowerment, information and awareness of citizens. It serves as a space of cooperation and solidarity, where support does not remain within the institution, but extends to every corner of the area. /e.i/j.p/p.s./

Accompanied by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Andis Salla and SP MP Arbjan Mazniku, Minister Kumbaro highlighted the need for projects that bring children closer to nature and practices that increase green spaces.

“Following building renovation that also includes a central heating system, there is also solved the problem of shifts and combined classes. This school should become a model of the Art and Craft program,” said the minister.

On the other hand, Minister Salla spoke about an exchange of practices with the vocational agricultural school of Cërrik.

“We have also begun to plant some medicinal plants or plants that do not grow in the area. In addition to the “Mehmet Bajraktari” school, we will also identify several other schools where there is space to create this opportunity for students in order to create a new cycle.”

Further on, Minister Kumbaro also visited the internal premises, where work is underway to install a central heating system.

“After the renovation of the school in cooperation with the municipality, the Ministry of Education will furnish and provide it with laboratory equipment. Now, a gym and a new sports field are being added to the school grounds, so sports teams must also be built in the school”, concluded Minister Kumbaro. /k.s/p.s./

While giving an overview of the pension situation in the country, Rama said that the Socialist Party aims to achieve a minimum pension of 200 euros.

According to Rama, “Pensions are a rather delicate issue”.

“Pensions are paid from the social insurance fund and are the result of what people have paid from their salary as a contribution for their pension in the future”, said Rama.

According to Rama, “The biggest problem is with the village pensions, in terms of rather small contributions paid into the social insurance scheme”.

“Another problem is that many people have left the country. Now, they are approaching the retirement age and they say the pension is too small for them. Meanwhile, they have contributed to the insurance fund there, not here. Therefore, Albania has reached agreement on recognition of pensions and we want it to happen with Greece, as well”, said Rama.

“We aim for a minimum pension of 200 euros in Albania by 2030”, said Rama. /r.e/p.s./

The handover ceremony was held at the Municipal Hall of Cerrik in the presence of H.E. Ms. KATO Kikuko, Ambassador of Japan to Albania, Mr. Andis Salla, Mayor of Cerrik and the staff of the Fire Protection and Rescue Service. During the ceremony, Ambassador KATO emphasized Japan’s firm commitment to support Albania’s development in the fire protection and rescue sector as well as other sectors with the aim of achieving equitable development throughout the country. She also hoped that through this project the relations between Japan and Cerrik Municipality as well as Albania would be further strengthened. In the response to this, Mayor Salla expressed his gratitude to the Government of Japan and Ambassador KATO for the continuous support provided in Albania, underlining the importance of the grant for the Municipality and its residents.

Japan’s ODA (Official Development Assistance) is based on the concept of “human security”, and strengthening disaster prevention is one of its key pillars. In the field of fire protection services, the Government of Japan has provided similar grants to Albanian municipalities for the provision of fire trucks and firefighting equipment since 2018.

Prime Minister Edi Rama took to the social media on Tuesday to share images of the new school premises, an investment project funded by the Ministry of Education and Sports.

“Newly-built ‘Rushan Qevani’ school and kindergarten in Selvias, Cërrik, a decent educational complex that meets European standards and that has just opened doors to local schoolchildren and teachers,” PM Rama said.

This educational facility has been transformed into a real education campus, featuring new learning environment, sport grounds, gym and a library.

The newly reconstructed school is part of a larger investment program designed to upgrade educational infrastructure across the country. Construction of 25 educational facilities has completed and opened their doors at the start of the 2024-2025 school year, whereas work is underway on construction of 100 schools set to complete this year.

Newly-built schools throughout Albania are designed to meet contemporary European standards and infrastructure for habitability and environmental comfort and provide spaces for optimum education.

1 of 13

/m.m/a.f//u.sh/

During the inspection at the “Rushen Qevani” school, Minister of Education and Sports Ogerta Manastirliu highlighted the progress made in the reconstruction of this educational institution and emphasized the significance of this project for the local community and the surrounding areas.

This school will serve not only as an educational center, but also as a community center, which enables the use of the new sports infrastructure for various activities.

Manastirliu added that, through such investments, the Ministry of Education and Sports aims to ensure the same quality standard throughout the country, regardless of the geographical location of the schools.

The school project, which will be completed within the current year, includes the construction of a two-story building, the creation of sports facilities including a gym and sports field, as well as a rich library.

Through the rehabilitation program of schools and sports grounds of the Ministry of Education and Sports and the local government and along with the Reconstruction Program, this year there will be completed the construction and rehabilitation of 100 educational facilities throughout the country./k.s/p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama shared in the social media moments from the work done at this point, where the waste is transformed into organic manure.

“Another good work is being done in Cërrik Municipality, at the green waste composting point for every greenhouse, farm or other agricultural environment, keeping the city clean and reducing the amount of waste by 25% of the total,” wrote Rama.

PM Rama also wrote that, “The green waste composting point in Cërrik makes it possible for the recycling and redistribution of urban waste making it an asset and not a problem for the community.  Before, they used to be thrown into the riverbeds and cause flooding”.

Green waste composting centers have started operating in some cities of the country. Now, the green waste no longer remains as dirt on the roads; it is being turned into organic fertilizer, increasing the quality of field products, reducing collection costs and the volume of waste deposited at the end point, as well as creating additional income for the municipality.

This year, the government is launching a large circular economy program, where at the same time there will be made investments in the entire integrated waste management system, but also in the promotion of recycling and composting stations./k.s/r.e/p.s./

The project’s aim is to decrease the response and travel time as well as the damage caused by the forest and mountainous fires by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the fire service in Cërrik. Due to the lack of specialized vehicle, Cërrik has been having difficulties in the fight against forest and mountainous fires. This project will enable the fire department of Cërrik Municipality to have transport access to narrow forest and mountainous roads, providing a more comprehensive fire protection and rescue service to the citizen.

During the signing ceremony, Ambassador Takada reconfirmed his Government’s commitment to supporting Albania’s development in the fire protection and rescue sector and other sectors. On the other hand, Mr. Salla, expressed their gratitude to the People and Government of Japan and Ambassador Takada for the continuous support, underlining the Grant’s importance to the Municipality.

Japan has been supporting Albania through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project (GGP) since 1998. The total GGP assistance to Albania for 61 implemented and to be implemented projects amounts to approximately EUR 3.94 million. In the field of fire protection services, the Government of Japan has provided similar grants to Kruja, Kamza, Berat, Lezha, Bulqiza, Tirana and Kuçova Municipalities for the provision of fire trucks and firefighting equipment. In addition, the Government of Japan through JICA will implement in Albania a larger-scale technical cooperation project on Capacity Building for Disaster Risk Reduction through National Forest Fire Information System (NFFIS) and Eco-DRR.