During the inspection of the construction works on the new building of services on “Zogu I” Boulevard, Veliaj added that the municipality is one of the main contributors to the city development.

“Today we see a cosmopolitan Tirana that is thriving. The Municipality of Tirana is the main contributor to its development, since there are large areas under reconstruction, such as the Kombinat and 5 Maji areas. Any time soon we will draw new lots for the distribution of housing units among the last residents. I believe that Tirana is living its best days today. The construction industry is one of the largest employers. There is a heated debate going on, because here everything sparks a debate, even a theater, even a square, even a market, a castle, the interventions at the Lake park, the New Boulevard, even at Kombinat, even at 5 Maji and at Bregu i Lumit. Apparently we are destined to work amid debate. What the statistics show is that construction, in tandem with tourism and information technology, have brought this boom in Tirana,” said Veliaj.

The Mayor also commented on the increase in the value of citizens’ property in the capital. “The more we work, the more quality and aesthetics we see. For all those who express concern about the high price of property in Tirana, I ask them: ‘What if the price of property fell and what if it dropped by half, would it be better for the owner or worse? The increase in property value in a city where 93% of citizens are owners is a good news. For the other 7%, who are tenants, there are social housing units, rental bonuses, and soft loans from the Municipality of Tirana. Whoever says it takes hundreds of years to buy a house in Tirana should see that there are very few, not any, homeless people in Tirana, and if there are, they come from the districts. If it were like that, then we would all be sleeping on the streets,” said Veliaj.

The mayor appealed for more cooperation, adding that as the campaign is over we all have to lend a hand to Tirana to climb as high as possible. “We should neither curse Tirana, nor taint the progress of the city, we should not put a spoke in the city’s wheel. The city moves forward when it is blessed by everyone rather when we find excuses to stand in its way. This is our city, this is our home, this is our family. The campaign is over and now we all have to lend a hand so that Tirana continues to climb as high as possible”, emphasized Veliaj.
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