Boçi said the proposal tabled by the ruling Socialists would increase centralisation and leave administrative centres farther from residents.

“With 46 municipalities, there would be more peripheral areas and fewer centres. Albania does not need ever-larger municipalities. It needs municipalities that work,” he said.

He rejected the idea that merging smaller municipalities would automatically strengthen local government, citing Tepelena and Memaliaj, Fushë-Arrëz and Pukë, and Librazhd and Prrenjas as examples.

According to Boçi, the main opposition Democratic Party’s alternative plan for around 100 municipalities aims to bring decision-making closer to citizens, preserve community identities and improve local services.

He said territorial reform should be measured not by the number of municipalities but by how effectively and how close to citizens services are delivered.

“Around 100 municipalities is not a numerical choice. It is a democratic choice,” Boçi said.

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In a TV interview, Denaj reacted to the proposal of the Democratic Party, which envisages a reduction to 18% of insurance contributions and an increase in the minimum wage up to 360 thousand ALL.

“The pension scheme is funded by the 2020 state budget worth ALL 50.7 billion, while revenues from insurance contributions amount to ALL 83 billion. If there is a pension scheme where the state contribution is 40% of all expenditures, the government will not be able to support the deficit of the scheme,” Minister Denaj said.

“Pension scheme deficit, almost 40% covered by the state budget, I wonder how can you promise higher expenditures and revenue reduction? This widens the deficit and is not a plausible thesis, all the more if you combine it with the whole. If we say that the deficit will be covered by the state budget, it could be a proposed choice, but if 40% of all expenditures will be covered by state budget, ie 50.7 billion, I honestly do not know where the money will be provided,” Denaj said. //a.i/